Chinese Roast Pork

This roast pork is not as red as the roast pork often seen in Chinese restaurants as it does not use artificial coloring. Thick-cut boneless pork chops work well. It is best for the meat to have a layer of fat to provide some moisture while roasting. The thin fat cap should not be removed. The difference in taste between Chinese rice wine, sake, and pale dry sherry is not really noticeable in this dish given the other very flavorful ingredients. Good quality Chinese rice wine can be difficult to find. I prefer a reasonably-priced, good-quality domestic Sake, such as Sho Chiku Bai. Do not use the unfiltered (nigori) sake, however.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 1 15

Servings: 3 people

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 pound lean boneless pork
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 whole star anise crushed in a mortar
1/4 cup sake or pale dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup honey

Method

Cut pork into 1½ x 1½ x 4 inch strips.
Mince the garlic.
Grate the ginger.
Crush the star anise in a mortar.
Combine the ginger, garlic, hoi sin sauce, crushed star anise, sake, soy sauce and honey. Mix well.
Add the pork strips and toss to coat.
Marinate the pork at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight turning once or twice.
To roast, put one oven rack in the top position and another in the bottom position. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Hang each strip of pork from an "S" shaped hook on the top rack. Put a roasting pan below the pork, filled with water, to catch the drippings.
Roast at 350°F for 30 minutes. Increase the temperature to 450°F and cook for another 20-25 minutes.
Remove the pork strips from the oven. Slice them crosswise, approximately 1/3 inch thick. Pile the pork on a platter to serve.