Chinese Cuisine
Braised Pork Trotters
Tender braised pork trotters slowly simmered with doubanjiang, soy sauces, and aromatic spices until rich, flavorful, and gelatinous. A comforting home-style dish with a mildly spicy finish.
- Total
- 1 hour 30 minutes
Quick Recipe Summary
- Cuisine
- Chinese
- Category
- Chinese Cuisine
- Method
- Stir-fry
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Main Ingredient
- Pork Trotters
About This Recipe
Tender braised pork trotters slowly simmered with doubanjiang, soy sauces, and aromatic spices until rich, flavorful, and gelatinous. A comforting home-style dish with a mildly spicy finish.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses a steady cooking method that helps the ingredients absorb flavor gradually.
- Beginner-friendly enough for cooks who are still building confidence in the kitchen.
- Good for learning how seasoning and simmering build flavor over time.
- Shows a practical way to cook pork with clear preparation and cooking cues.
- Gives the dish a clear mildly spicy flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Pork Trotters
- 2 stalks Green Onion
- 20 g Ginger
- 2 leaves Bay Leaves
- 2 pods Star Anise
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tbsp Pixian Doubanjiang
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- Enough to cover Water
- For garnish Cilantro
Ingredient Notes
These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.
Pork Trotters
Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.
stalks Green Onion
Scallions add freshness and are useful both as an aromatic base and as a finishing flavor.
Ginger
Ginger adds clean aroma and helps balance meat, seafood, tofu, and fermented flavors.
eaves Bay Leaves
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe
These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.
Sauce
Doubanjiang
Fermented chili bean paste that gives Sichuan dishes savory heat and depth.
Sauce
Dark Soy Sauce
Used in small amounts for darker color, gloss, and deeper soy flavor.
Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.
Sauce
Chili Oil
A chili oil or chili crisp adds heat, aroma, and crunch to noodles, dumplings, and rice.
Technique
How to Stir Fry Properly
Learn heat control, ingredient order, sauce timing, and quick wok cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Place the pork trotters in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil to blanch.
Step 2
Once boiling, skim off any foam and impurities. Continue boiling for 2 minutes, then drain, rinse, and pat dry.
Step 3
Heat oil in a pot. Add green onion, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, and fennel seeds. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.
Step 4
Add Pixian doubanjiang.
Step 5
Cook until the chili oil turns deep red and aromatic.
Step 6
Add the pork trotters and stir-fry until evenly coated.
Step 7
Continue stirring so the seasonings fully coat the pork trotters.
Step 8
Add sugar and stir briefly.
Step 9
Pour in enough water to partially cover the ingredients.
Step 10
Add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce.
Step 11
Add additional water if needed until the pork trotters are fully submerged. Bring to a boil.
Step 12
Reduce to low heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour, or until the pork trotters are tender.
Step 13
Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
Step 14
Serve hot and enjoy the rich, flavorful braised pork trotters.
Cooking Tips
- Blanching the pork trotters removes impurities and improves flavor. Simmering slowly over low heat helps break down the collagen, resulting in a tender texture and rich sauce. Adjust the amount of doubanjiang to control the spice level.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
- Add a light soup or cold vegetable side if the stir-fry is salty, spicy, or saucy.
- Keep rice or noodles ready before cooking because stir-fries are best served immediately.
Recipe Card
Tender braised pork trotters slowly simmered with doubanjiang, soy sauces, and aromatic spices until rich, flavorful, and gelatinous. A comforting home-style dish with a mildly spicy finish.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Pork Trotters
- 2 stalks Green Onion
- 20 g Ginger
- 2 leaves Bay Leaves
- 2 pods Star Anise
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tbsp Pixian Doubanjiang
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- Enough to cover Water
- For garnish Cilantro
Method
- Place the pork trotters in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil to blanch.
- Once boiling, skim off any foam and impurities. Continue boiling for 2 minutes, then drain, rinse, and pat dry.
- Heat oil in a pot. Add green onion, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, and fennel seeds. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.
- Add Pixian doubanjiang.
- Cook until the chili oil turns deep red and aromatic.
- Add the pork trotters and stir-fry until evenly coated.
- Continue stirring so the seasonings fully coat the pork trotters.
- Add sugar and stir briefly.
- Pour in enough water to partially cover the ingredients.
- Add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce.
- Add additional water if needed until the pork trotters are fully submerged. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to low heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour, or until the pork trotters are tender.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
- Serve hot and enjoy the rich, flavorful braised pork trotters.
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