Name: Chinese Pork Au Jus {Hong Men Zhou Zi 红焖肘子} Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: Skin-on Ham Hock, about 4-5 lbs, either bone-in or without bone. You can also use pork loin roast.; 2 stalks of green onion, chopped; 1 small piece of ginger, about 12 g, thin sliced; 1 tsp cooking oil, such as avocado oil; 4 star anises; 4 bay leaves; Two flavors, see notes:; Flavor A - A small piece of cinnamon; Flavor B - none; 1/2 cup sake, or Shaoxing wine; 1/2 cup soy sauce, naturally aged or dark soy sauce; 1/2 cup light soy sauce; 1/4 cup cane sugar, organic unrefined preferred; 1 cup of water; Two flavors, see notes:; Flavor A - none; Flavor B - use 1 small red onion, plus 1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder and 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, freshly ground

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Chinese Pork Au Jus is a classic Huai Yang style dish featuring pork slices in the original sauce. Skin-on ham or ham hock works best for this recipe. However, you can also use the pork loin roast, which is the portion between shoulder and the leg.

Make this in advance and enjoy throughout the week. The traditional way of eating is to add this to a bowl of Yang Chun noodle soup. Nevertheless, it also works great to pair with rice or make a sandwich out of it.

This traditional dish uses skin on ham hock. The jelly like skin is the highlight of this well-liked traditional food. The Fun Fact – While people from northern China call Ham Hock “Zhou Zi” {肘子}, people from the Yangtze River Delta area, home to Huai Yang Cuisine, call them “Ti Pang” {蹄膀}. Therefore, this delicious iconic food is also known as “Hong Shao Ti Pang” {红烧蹄膀}.

Like Red Braised Beef Shank, it is OK to eat Red Braised Ham Hock at room temperature. In China’s Yangtze River Delta area, home to Huai Yang Cuisine, a steaming hot bowl of Yang Chun Noodle topped with a slice of this yumminess is a local delicacy.

Chinese Pork Au Jus {Hong Men Zhou Zi 红焖肘子}

What do you need to make Chinese style Pork Au Jus?

If you are wondering which cut of pork is best for Chinese Pork au Jus, I would say the skin-on pork ham or ham hock. If those are not available, then a pork loin roast will work out just fine. What you miss is the jelly-like yummy skin part.

Ginger, green onion, organic unrefined cane sugar, naturally aged soy sauce, sake or Shaoxing wine, star anise, bay leaves are the main seasoning.

I provided two flavors in this recipe. The Flavor A uses cinnamon and the Flavor B uses red onion, fennel seeds and coriander seeds to elevate the flavor.

Two Flavors of Chinese Pork Au Jus

The Flavor A is a traditional Chinese Pork flavor, same as classic Chinese Kou You {扣肉}, which just uses a pinch of cinnamon on top of the above mentioned seasonings.

If you want another unique flavor, then go Flavor B. I use red onion, fennel seeds and coriander seed, which creates a more refreshing taste. It worth mentioning that red onion rarely appears in Chinese style red braised pork dishes. They are more popular with beef dishes. However, it plays an important role here to elevate this to an appetizing flavor.

How to make Chinese Style Pork Au Jus Easy & Perfectly?

The first step is to sear or brown the pork

This is extremely import step to lock-in the moisture of the pork so that the pork tastes juicy.

The cast iron Wok is the best Wok in my onion. A quality cast iron Wok lasts for a super long time. You don’t have to worry about seasoning the Wok yourself. Having tried myself once, I know it is not a straightforward process.

Usually the cast iron pans come with pre-seasoned. All you need to do is to rinse and wipe clean. Do not use soap on cast iron pans/pots. After the wash, wipe it dry, add a bit of oil and spread out evenly to prevent it from rusting.

So how to sear the pork? Turn the heat to medium and heat the cast iron Wok for 2 minutes. Then add a bit of avocado oil by spraying evenly using this home oil sprayer glass bottle or using a mini silicone spatula to spread out evenly across the base of the Wok. Then add ginger, green onion, star anise and bay leaves.

For Flavor A, remember to add the small piece of cinnamon bark as well.

Then add ham hock to the wok, gently press down and cook for 2 minutes. Repeat this for sides, until all sides are seared and browned.

I usually then repeat the process to do a Round Two Browning. This time each side takes 1 minute since the Wok is much heated up by now.

The second is to slow cook the Pork

Add everything under the “For the Braising Juice” to a sauce pan, mix well and turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Remember for Flavor B, you will need to add red onion, fennel seeds and coriander seeds here.

Once it reaches the boil, pour the sauce over the pork in the wok. Turn the wok to simmer and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, if you cook 4-5 lb, or 3 hours 30 minutes if you cook 8-10 lbs of pork.

Turn the pork in the wok half way through if you can. Or just baste the pork using the juice in the Wok.

The Third is to cook the pork using medium heat for 15 minutes

This step will help burn the sugar in the ingredients properly to create the enticing color. The high temperature will also help infuse all the seasoning together.

How to Serve Chinese Style Pork Au Jus?

For best results, I usually store this in the refrigerator over-night before slicing it. Use a knife or meat slicer to cut the pork into thin slices.

Save all the juice from the Wok and store separately. The pork fat will float to the top and create this white crust over-night in the refrigerator. This kind of pork fat is essential for an authentic and delicious Yang Chun Noodle. Remove the pork fat and store it in a separate container.

Add the pork jelly like juice to a sauce pan, turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil and then pour the au jus over to the thin sliced pork. Garnish with either chopped cilantro or green onions.

Chinese Pork Au Jus {Hong Men Zhou Zi 红焖肘子} Recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Chinese Pork Au Jus is a classic Huai Yang style dish featuring pork slices in the original sauce. Skin-on ham or ham hock works best for this recipe. However, you can also use the pork loin roast.

Ingredients

Skin-on Ham Hock, about 4-5 lbs, either bone-in or without bone. You can also use pork loin roast.

For Browning:

2 stalks of green onion, chopped
1 small piece of ginger, about 12 g, thin sliced
1 tsp cooking oil, such as avocado oil
4 star anises
4 bay leaves
Two flavors, see notes:
Flavor A - A small piece of cinnamon
Flavor B - none

For the Braising Sauce:

1/2 cup sake, or Shaoxing wine
1/2 cup soy sauce, naturally aged or dark soy sauce
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup cane sugar, organic unrefined preferred
1 cup of water
Two flavors, see notes:
Flavor A - none
Flavor B - use 1 small red onion, plus 1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder and 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, freshly ground

Instructions

Browning the Ham Hock:

Gather all ingredients. Decide which flavor, either flavor A, which is a typical Kou Rou {扣肉} flavor; or flavor B.
If you choose flavor B, then grind the fennel seeds and coriander seeds using a spice grinder, and then cut red onion vertically into slices.
Turn the heat to medium, heat the cast iron Wok for 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp avocado oil to the wok, either use a homemade oil sprayer or use a silicone spatula to spread the oil evenly across the base of the wok, along with everything under "For Browning".
Carefully add the Ham Hock to the wok, gently press down and cook for 2 minutes.
Repeat for each side of the pork, until all sides are seared and browned.
Continue doing this one more round. This time, 1 minute for each side until the pork is nicely browned, and then turn off the heat.

Braising the Ham Hock:

Add everything under "For the Braising sauce" to a sauce pan, mix & stir well. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil, and then pour the sauce over the pork in the Wok.
Turn Wok heat to simmer and let it cook for 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn the pork half way through if you can, or just baste the pork using the juice in the wok. Do use a flexible turner to gently move the pork from the bottom to avoid the bottom from sticking to the wok.
Turn the heat back to medium and cook for 15 minutes. This step is to burn the sugar in the juice, and further infuse all the herbs and spices in the juice.
Remove the Ham Hock from the wok and let it cool to room temperature.

How to serve Chinese Pork Au Jus:

For better result, store the pork in the refrigerator overnight and then slice into thin slices the following day.
Also store the juice separately in the refrigerator over-night. The pork fat will float to the top and form a white crust over night. You can easily remove it using a spoon and save it in another small glass container. This kind of pork fat is perfect to make Yang Chun noodles, stir fried noodle or rice.
Before serving the pork, add the jelly portion of the juice to a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Then pour the juice over the pork slices and then garnish with either chopped cilantro or green onion.
The classic way of eating it is to add as a topping of noodle soup. But you can also pair it with rice, or make a sandwidch. Enjoy!

Notes

If you cook the entire ham hock, which usually is about 8-10 lbs, simply double the recipe. The cooking time will be double too. Simmer 3 hours 45 minutes and then use the medium heat to cook the last 15 minutes.
Make this in advance and enjoy throughout the week. Add to a bowl of noodle soup or make a sandwich out of it.
They are freezer friendly too. Store in a freezer ziplock bag in small batches and use in the next 3 months.