Plum Braised Pork

Rich, warming, and deeply flavorful, this Plum Braised Pork is a standout dish that blends sweet, savory, and aromatic elements into one unforgettable meal. Tender pork shoulder marinated in soy, ginger, garlic, and chili, then slow-braised with warm spices and ripe plums. The result is melt-in-your-mouth meat in a glossy, fragrant sauce. Perfect over rice or with a side of veggies, and sure to impress at any dinner table!

8 Servings

Ingredients 

• about 3.5 lb pork shoulder
• 5 tbsp rice wine
• 5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• Generous thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• 5 garlic cloves, miced
• 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
• 2 star anise
• 1 ½ tsp five-spice powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp sugar any type
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 16 oz chicken stock
• 6 ripe plums, halved and pit removed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Cut the pork into big pieces about the length of your thumb and twice as wide. Put into a bowl or food bag, and add the wine, soy sauces, half the ginger, half the garlic and half the chili. Marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hrs.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger and garlic, the star anise, five-spice powder and cinnamon. Saute gently until fragrant and soft. Stir in the sugar, turn up the heat, then add the marinated pork and turn occasionally until each side it just seared. Add the remaining marinade, the tomato purée, and stock, give it a stir, cover, and braise in the oven for 1 hour.
4. Add the plums to the pan. Take the lid off and continue cooking, uncovered for an additional hour. 
5. After two hours in the oven, the meat should be completely tender, turning golden brown where it breaks the surface of the sauce. Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, then scoop the meat and plums carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce for 5-10 mins until reduced and slightly syrupy. Return everything to the pan, gently warm through, top with remaining green onions and serve.