Savory Braised Pork Shoulder with Soy Sauce
How to Make Delicious Soy-Braised Pork Shoulder, Featuring Pork Shoulder
A recipe to enjoy pork shoulder in a unique way. This recipe utilizes an air fryer to create a tender and juicy braised pork dish. It’s a perfect side dish for rice or a delightful snack with drinks!
Main Ingredients- 1kg whole pork shoulder
- 1 bunch of bok choy
Pre-roasting Vegetables (for removing gamey smell)- 3 cabbage leaves
- 1 apple
- 1/2 onion
- 1 green onion
- A little whole black peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
Delicious Soy Braising Sauce- 3 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 3-4 Tbsp braising soy sauce (or dark soy sauce for color)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 Tbsp black pepper sauce (or substitute with regular black pepper or another flavorful sauce if unavailable)
- 3-5 whole garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for sweetness and shine)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like mirin)
- 1 tsp ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (for gloss and thickness)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 3 cabbage leaves
- 1 apple
- 1/2 onion
- 1 green onion
- A little whole black peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
Delicious Soy Braising Sauce- 3 Tbsp regular soy sauce
- 3-4 Tbsp braising soy sauce (or dark soy sauce for color)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 Tbsp black pepper sauce (or substitute with regular black pepper or another flavorful sauce if unavailable)
- 3-5 whole garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for sweetness and shine)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (like mirin)
- 1 tsp ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (for gloss and thickness)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 cups water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Cut the whole pork shoulder into pieces about 4-5cm thick, suitable for eating. To ensure even cooking, poke holes all over the meat with a fork. This step also helps the marinade penetrate better.
Step 2
Begin the pre-roasting process using the air fryer. Place the pork shoulder along with the odor-removing vegetables (cabbage, apple, onion, green onion), whole peppercorns, and bay leaves into the air fryer. First, steam at 100°C (212°F) for 20 minutes. Then, roast at 175°C (347°F) for 15 minutes. This makes the meat much more tender and effectively removes any gamey smell.
Step 3
While the pork is pre-roasting, prepare the delicious soy braising sauce. In a bowl, combine the regular soy sauce, braising soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper sauce, plum extract, cooking wine, ginger powder, sugar, corn syrup, black pepper, and 3 cups of water. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 4
Transfer the pre-roasted pork shoulder to a round wok or a deep frying pan. Add a little cooking oil and pan-fry over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, turning the pieces frequently. Searing the exterior helps to lock in the juices and creates a more appealing texture – this is key to achieving a ‘crispy outside, moist inside’ result.
Step 5
Add the prepared soy sauce mixture and whole garlic cloves to the pan with the seared pork. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring the pork occasionally to ensure it absorbs the sauce evenly.
Step 6
After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for another 10-20 minutes, either with the lid on or off, allowing the sauce to reduce and the pork to become deeply flavored. Once the sauce reaches your desired consistency, remove the cooked pork pieces to a plate to cool slightly.
Step 7
There will be some leftover sauce in the pan. Add the washed and trimmed bok choy to this sauce and stir-fry quickly over high heat for 2-3 minutes. It’s important to keep the bok choy crisp.
Step 8
Arrange the pork, cut into bite-sized pieces, on a serving plate. Add the stir-fried bok choy alongside. Your glossy and flavorful soy-braised pork shoulder is ready!
Step 9
Enjoy your delicious soy-braised pork shoulder! It’s perfect served over warm rice as a donburi or paired with a cold beer as a fantastic appetizer.
