Red-Cooked Pork Shoulder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 to 5 lb. fresh pork picnic shoulder (with rind left on)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 whole star anise or 8 sections of star anise
2 Tbsp. light or dark rock candy or 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Chinese rice wine or pale dry sherry
2 c. cold water
2 scallions (including green tops), cut in 3-inch lengths

Preparation

Soak mushrooms 30 minutes in warm water.
Leave whole.
Blanch pork and let boil briskly for 5 minutes.
Transfer meat to colander. Run hot tap water over it. Discard cooking water. Replace the meat in the pot.
Add soy sauce, star anise, rock candy, wine, scallions and 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and cover the pot.
Reduce heat to low. Cook about 3 hours, adjusting heat to keep the liquid at simmer, turning meat over 2 or 3 times during the cooking period.
Add soaked mushrooms.
Cook 30 minutes longer.
There should be about 1 cup liquid left.
If more, cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced. Transfer to deep platter. Pour cooking juice over it.
Serves 6 to 8 main course or 8 to 10 as part of a Chinese meal.