Houstonist Cooks: Red Cooked Pork with Beer

As Chinese New Year celebrations bring us the Year of the Ox, you may find yourself wanting to have a celebration of your own, at home. Houstonist has a recipe from Chef Martin Yan, of PBS's "Yan Can Cook" that fits the bill! After all, Tsingtao or Tsingtao Pure Lager should be your beer of choice when hosting your own celebration, why not use them to cook, as well? When celebrating Chinese New Year, traditional Chinese customs should be incorporated, including:

• Decorate in red and gold, the Chinese colors of prosperity that signify good luck and wealth; adorn your home with red balloons and gold streamers from a party store and red lanterns easily found in Asian stores


• Chopsticks and festive tableware are a must for serving Chinese cuisine


• Buy small red envelopes and fill with coins, in even dollar amounts, to give to friends and family as goodwill gestures


• Guarantee your good fortune in the New Year by assembling a centerpiece made from fresh flowers, oranges and tangerines, all symbols of good luck and wealth


• According to ancient tradition, every corner of your home should be swept and cleaned in preparation for your New Year's celebration

Red Cooked Pork with Beer

Serves four

Marinade

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork belly, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup Tsingtao Lager beer
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
Six quarter-sized slices ginger, lightly crushed

Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the pork, stirring to coat. Cover, refrigerate, and marinate for 4 hours or overnight.

Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add half of the pork and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon to a large clay pot. (If you don’t have a clay pot, use a large saucepan with a lid.) Repeat with the remaining pork.

Add all the sauce ingredients to the pot with the pork and add enough water to just cover, about 1 cup. Place the clay pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Tuck the green onions, carrots, onion, and daikon into the cooking liquid and continue to cook, covered, until the vegetables are soft and the meat is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.

Serve from the clay pot, or transfer to a serving plate. Serve over hot rice.