Northern Shaanxi Pork
Sauerkraut Stew
A hearty, rustic Northern Shaanxi classic featuring tender pork slices, soft potatoes, and tangy fermented sauerkraut simmered to perfection in rendered lard.
In the Northern Shaanxi region, the cooler seasons naturally call for deeply comforting, savory stews that warm both body and soul. This traditional recipe combines rich, slow-rendered pork fat with the sharp, distinctive acidity of homemade fermented sauerkraut and tender potatoes. Every element is carefully layered to build robust flavors, resulting in an unforgettable homestyle dish known locally as the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork neck meat
- 300 g fermented sauerkraut
- 2 potatoes
- 3 tbsp pork lard
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 stalks green onions
- 1 piece ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 1 tsp star anise powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black vinegar
- 1/2 tsp chicken essence
Instructions
- 1Trim the pork fat
Take a large slab of raw pork, also known as pork neck meat, and use a large knife to carefully trim away the outer layer of skin fat. This prepares the meat for clean slicing.
Tip: Keep your fingers curled away from the blade while trimming the firm fat layers. - 2Slice the pork
Take the prepared pork neck meat and use a sharp knife to remove the skins fat, then cut the meat into thin, large slices on a wooden cutting board.
Tip: Cut the slices evenly so they cook at a consistent rate when rendered. - 3Cut the potatoes
Take peeled potatoes and cut them into irregular, bite-sized chunks on the wooden cutting board. These pieces will absorb flavors well during the extended simmering process.
Tip: Cut uniform bite-sized chunks so they cook evenly alongside the sauerkraut. - 4Shred the sauerkraut
Take homemade fermented sauerkraut and use a knife to shred it into thin strips. Shredding helps release its distinct sour flavor more effectively into the stew.
Tip: Shred the sauerkraut finely to ensure it blends seamlessly with the meat and potatoes. - 5Wash the sauerkraut
Place the shredded sauerkraut into a ceramic bowl filled with water and wash it twice to remove excess saltiness and impurities.
Tip: Washing the sauerkraut twice helps balance the final acidity of the dish. - 6Squeeze out the water
After washing, gather the shredded sauerkraut and squeeze out the excess water thoroughly by hand to prepare it for cooking.
Tip: Squeezing out the water ensures the sauerkraut absorbs the rich pork flavors better during braising. - 7Add pork lard to wok
Place a portion of white pork lard into a hot wok using a metal ladle to begin the high-heat rendering process.
Tip: Ensure the wok is sufficiently hot before adding the lard to prevent sticking. - 8Add fatty pork slices
Add the sliced pork fat into the melted lard in the wok and stir-fry over low heat to render out the excess fat.
Tip: Cook over low heat to allow the fat to render slowly without burning. - 9Add lean pork slices
Add the lean pork slices into the wok with the rendered pork fat and stir-fry together until all the moisture from the pork is completely gone.
Tip: Keep stirring to ensure the meat browns evenly in the rendered fat.
