Sweet Pork - Hmong (Crock pot)

This is a common dish in many Asian cultures but the Hmong dish is more on the sweet side rather than the Chinese or Vietnamese dish that is more savory. Sweet pork is definitely a staple at big events and no matter how much is made the dish is one of the first to go! My rendition of it is made half on the stove and finished off in the crock pot. However, the crock pot is purely optional - but highly recommended if you have the time.

Ingredients:
1lb of pork belly - sliced into 1/2" pieces
3/4 cup of white sugar
3 tablespoons of good soy sauce
2 tablespoons of thick soy sauce - needed to get that dark brown color
3 star anise 
1 cube of chicken bullion - I put this in a lot of my soups and stews
Hard boiled eggs - as many as you would like!
1 stalk of lemon grass
2 small pieces of whole ginger - I'll show a picture below
Water

Missing the star anise - but I linked it above

I only like the meaty parts of the lemon grass and ginger.

First real step after prepping the ingredients is to take a tablespoon of the thick soy sauce and coat your sliced pork belly. I like how the thick soy sauce caramelizes the pork belly. 

Set the pork aside, and prepare the braising liquid for the pork by caramelizing the sugar in a bottom heavy pot on low heat. This set is VERY sensitive so watch your pot AT ALL TIMES. No leaving to check your Facebook or even your text messages. :) As the sugar heats up it starts to crumble but keep cooking and it will melt into a beautiful caramel liquid. 

Perfect caramel color and consistency

Add in the coated pork belly, be careful, the sugar is very hot and sticky so try not to get any on yourself. Stir the pork belly so that all the pieces are coated by the melted sugar, work fast as the sugar will start to stick to everything - even the wooden spoon. 

Add water just enough to cover the pork belly, turn the heat up, bring to a boil. Also, add in the ginger and lemon grass pieces. And the star anise!* I like to braise this in the pot for at least 10 minutes. If you are not using a crock pot, you would just bring to a boil and then back down to a low to let it braise for at least an hour. All the while, adding the chicken bullion, all the soy sauce, and the rest of the thick soy sauce (to achieve that deep brown color) 

If you are using a crock pot, place items into the crock pot, add in the chicken bullion cube, soy sauce and dark soy sauce. And the star anise!* Turn it to slow and cook for 3 - 4 hours. Patience is a virtue. Trust me, this crock pot style is the best! Something about a crock pot that just takes a good dish into a FREAKING AMAZING dish! 

In the crock pot the hardboiled eggs go in 30-45 minutes before serving, if not in a crock pot, add the eggs 20 minutes before serving. I do not like over-boiled eggs - gross! For the perfect hard boiled eggs - I place the raw eggs in a pot with cold water and bring entire thing to a rolling boil. I turn off the stove after it boils, cover with a lid for 7 minutes (I throw in a little baking soda (1/2 teaspoon) - this helps with the peeling process), and after 7 minutes make sure to run cold water over the eggs. Lastly, let it sit in the cold water for at least 15 minutes before peeling. Make sure to taste the broth and add more soy sauce to your liking!! I do not like mine too sweet - so I added another tablespoon (I added 4 total but start with 3 tablespoons and work from there). Instead of salt (pictured) I added soy sauce - S&P to your taste.

Sweet Pork - Hmong style but in a crock pot 

Serve over some hot rice and ENJOY!! I like to add a side of greens - bok choy, chinese broccoli, or broccoli all work. The dish is so rich you need something light to balance it out.

Thanks for reading!!
XX
Kathy

*Star anise is really good in soups/stews because it really brings out the flavors of the meat and meat based broths. You do not have to have it but there is definitely a missing element if you do not have it. Star anise is a MAJOR ingredient in pho. & I know you all love pho! :)