Shanghai Ham - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 lb. fresh pork ham, butt or shoulder
1 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. sugar or less
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 slices ginger root or 2 cloves garlic
3 to 4 cloves star anise
1/2 to 1 c. water

Preparation

Sear and scald the pork by soaking it in boiling water to cover for a few minutes.
When the water returns to a boil, drain and rinse with cold water.
Place pork with all ingredients in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer. Turn pork occasionally until tender, about 2 hours.
Remove cover and increase heat.
Baste pork until about 1 cup of liquid remains, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Skim fat and serve.