Braised Pork Hock is the ultimate “heavyweight” dish. The hock is braised until the skin is gelatinous and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender—just a gentle pinch with chopsticks separates the meat. The sauce is thick, glossy, and deeply savory. It looks intimidating, but it’s actually not hard to make; the key is blanching to remove the smell and slow-braising to release the collagen. Serve this when you have guests, and it will absolutely steal the show.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours | Serves: 4–6
🌴 Ingredients:
· Pork hock (pork knuckle), 1 (about 1000–1200g / 2.2–2.6 lbs; ask the butcher to torch the skin and cut it in half)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Sliced ginger, 5–6 slices (about 20g)
· Scallion stalks, 3 (about 50g; tied into a knot)
· Star anise, 2 (about 2g)
· Cinnamon stick, 1 small piece (about 3cm / 1 inch)
· Bay leaves, 3 (about 0.6g)
· Black cardamom, 1 (about 2g; optional)
· Dried red chilies, 3–4 (about 5g; optional)
· Rock sugar, 20–25g (about 1.5 tbsp; for the caramel, reduce if you prefer less sweet)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Light soy sauce, 3 tbsp (about 45ml)
· Dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; check the color before reducing, add more if needed)
· Cooking wine, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; 1 tbsp for blanching, 1 tbsp for braising)
· Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15g)
· Salt, about 5–6g, to taste (added in two stages)
· Chinkiang vinegar, ½ tbsp (about 7.5ml; for aroma and cutting the richness, added at the end)
· Hot water, as needed (for braising)
· Cooking oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
All spoon measures are level. Light soy sauce is thin and salty; dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and slightly sweet—use them as listed for the best color and flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Pork Hock
Use a knife to scrape the skin clean. Place it in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices, scallion segments, and 1 tbsp cooking wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove and rinse with warm water. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels. ⚠️ Tip: This is the key step to remove the gamey smell—make sure to skim off all the foam. Rinse with warm water (not cold), or the meat will tighten up. Patting the skin dry prevents oil splatters when coating with caramel and helps it stick. - Make the Caramel
Heat the wok and add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add the rock sugar and cook over low heat. When the sugar melts, turns deep amber, and starts bubbling, immediately add the pork hock. Quickly turn it to coat the surface evenly. ⚠️ Tip: Too light, and it won’t color; burnt, and it turns bitter. Add the hock when it hits deep amber. Since the hock is large, move fast—just coat it evenly. If you’re worried about failing, use less sugar and make up the color with dark soy sauce later. - Sauté the Aromatics
Add the ginger slices, scallion knot, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, black cardamom, and dried chilies. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tbsp cooking wine. Stir until evenly combined. ⚠️ Tip: Sauté the spices until fragrant before adding the sauces—this layers the flavors. Add 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce first; if the color isn’t dark enough, add more before reducing, so it doesn’t turn black. - Add Water and Braise
Pour in enough hot water to cover the hock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5–2 hours. ⚠️ Tip: Always use hot water; cold water will make the meat tough. Flip the hock 2–3 times during braising—skin-side down absorbs the color better and prevents sticking. If the water runs low, add more hot water. - Season Midway
After about 1 hour of braising, add half the salt to give the meat a base flavor. ⚠️ Tip: The hock is thick; if you add all the salt at the very end, only the surface will be seasoned. Add half now and taste to adjust the rest before reducing. - Reduce the Sauce
When a chopstick easily pierces the skin and the lean meat—and the skin gives way with a light poke—it’s tender enough. Remove the hock and transfer it to a serving plate. Taste the broth in the wok, add the remaining salt as needed, and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce. When the sauce is thick, glossy, and bright red, drizzle ½ tbsp Chinkiang vinegar around the edge of the wok, and turn off the heat. ⚠️ Tip: Remove the hock first so it doesn’t break apart and the sauce doesn’t burn at the bottom. Taste before adding the final salt. The ½ tbsp vinegar won’t make it sour—it just enhances the aroma and cuts the richness. - Plate and Serve
Pour the reduced sauce over the hock, garnish with chopped scallion, and serve with a few blanched green vegetables or cilantro on the side. Serve hot—the skin is gelatinous and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, packed with collagen. ⚠️ Tip: A side of greens cuts the richness and looks great. Pressure cooker version: Pressure cook for 40 minutes, then transfer back to the wok to reduce the sauce and glaze.
💡 Tips:
Scrape the skin, blanch in cold water, skim the foam, rinse with warm water, and pat the skin dry. Keep the heat low for the caramel, add the hock when it’s deep amber, and coat it quickly—if worried about failing, use less sugar and rely on dark soy sauce for color. Sauté the spices before adding the sauces, add 1 tbsp dark soy first, and add more before reducing if needed. Use hot water for braising and flip the hock 2–3 times. Add half the salt at the 1-hour mark, and braise until a chopstick pierces the skin easily. Remove the hock before reducing the sauce, reduce it until thick, and drizzle ½ tbsp vinegar around the wok rim before turning off the heat to enhance the aroma and cut the richness. Done this way, the skin is gelatinous, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, and it’s packed with collagen—a true showstopper for entertaining!
This Braised Pork Hock is glossy and red, rich but not greasy, and fall-off-the-bone tender—an absolute showstopper for guests. If you like this collagen-rich braised style, you can also try my previously posted Braised Pork Trotters (Braised Pork Trotters). For more classic hearty dishes, check out my Main Dishes (Main Dishes) category.
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