Wine-Aromatic Pepper-Salt Pork Knuckle
A splendid dish blending rich wine fragrance with numbing pepper-salt. The pork knuckle is marinated in Huadiao wine, steamed until tender, then deep-fried to crispy perfection, finally coated with garlic and spice salt. Each bite offers multiple textures and is irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
16 items- Pork front knuckle (hock) 1 whole (about 2.2 lbs / 1 kg)
- Huadiao wine 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Light soy sauce 2 tablespoons
- Dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon
- Salt 1 teaspoon
- Salt 2 tablespoons
- Sugar 1 tablespoon
- Five-spice powder 1 teaspoon
- Ginger 1 piece (20 g)
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Garlic 10 cloves
- Dried chilies 3-5
- Red and green bell peppers 1/2 each
- Sichuan peppercorns 1 tablespoon
- Cornstarch About 3 tablespoons
- Cooking oil 2 cups (500 ml, actual consumption ~1/4 cup)
Nutrition
Steps （10 steps）
Scorch the surface of the pork knuckle (about 2.2 lbs) over an open flame or with a kitchen torch to burn off any remaining hairs and impurities. Scrub clean with warm water. Place in a pot of cold water with 20g ginger slices, 2 scallion sections, and 2 tbsp cooking wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off froth, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and rinse with warm water.
Place the blanched knuckle in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup Huadiao wine, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp five-spice powder, 20g ginger slices and scallions. Rub and massage the marinade thoroughly into the meat for about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Transfer the knuckle along with all marinade into a heatproof bowl. Steam over a wok or steamer: bring water to a boil, place the bowl, cover, and steam on high for 10 minutes then reduce to medium-low and steam for 1.5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender (a chopstick can pierce the thickest part easily). Baste occasionally with the juices. Add water to the steamer as needed.
Remove the steamed knuckle, set aside the steaming liquid. Pat the knuckle completely dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Evenly dust with cornstarch, patting to adhere. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow the starch to set.
Make pepper-salt: Heat a dry skillet over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns and toast until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a mortar and grind to powder. In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons salt and toast until light yellow (about 1 minute). Mix with the ground pepper.
Heat 2 cups of oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C) – the oil should shimmer and bubbles form around a chopstick. Gently lower the starch-coated knuckle into the oil. Deep-fry over medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to prevent sticking. Remove and drain.
Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return the knuckle for a second fry of about 30 seconds, until the skin is ultra-crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over low heat. Sauté minced garlic (10 cloves) and optional dried chili pieces until the garlic turns light golden and aromatic. Pour in 2 tbsp reserved steaming liquid and 1 tbsp Huadiao wine. Turn up the heat to high, bring to a quick boil, then sprinkle in 2 teaspoons of the prepared pepper-salt. Stir-fry briskly to combine.
Add the fried knuckle to the wok. Toss well with the garlic-pepper mixture so the exterior is evenly coated with the aromatic salt and crispy garlic. Adjust seasoning with extra pepper-salt if needed.
Transfer the knuckle to a serving plate. Garnish with remaining pepper-salt, diced red and green peppers, and chopped scallions. Serve immediately while crisp on the outside and tender inside.
Tips
1. Thoroughly clean the skin; leftover hairs can ruin texture. 2. Steaming time depends on size; test tenderness with a chopstick. 3. Let the starch rest on the meat to form a coating; otherwise it may fall off during frying. 4. Double frying ensures shatteringly crisp skin. 5. Do not over-toast the garlic and pepper; they turn bitter. Serve hot.
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