Slow Soy Braised Pork with Rice Noodles

Yes I know it is Spring time and my thoughts should be turning to the lighter things in life like salads and grills - but there was something about this recipe that just said "Make Me"!

Yes the recipe (in this month's Australian Good Taste) was for Beef, and it was served with pasta - but I could almost taste my version!!  What the heck, one last braise, there's always tomorrow night for the Spring time meal!

Dear Readers if you can just imagine the aromas that this dish made while slowly working it's magic in the oven for 3 1/2 hours - the citrus, soy, star anise and cinnamon smells - true heaven (I think I can still evoke the smell this morning)  There is something incredibly seductive and soothing about eating lovely soft melt in your mouth highly flavoured meat with smooth silky rice noodles!  You know I am right don't you?

Slow Soy Braised Pork with Rice Noodles
Serves 6


1.5kg pork scotch fillet, cut into thick slices
750ml light red wine (such as pinot noir)
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 light soy sauce
3/4 cup shaoxing wine
1/4 sweet sherry
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
50g fresh ginger, thinly sliced
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole star anise
3 strips of orange rind (cut from top to bottom, approx 4 cm wide) (I used blood orange)
2 tbs olive oil
1kg thick rice noodles
coriander to serve


Combine the wine, stock, soy sauce, sherry, shaoxing wine, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, star anise and orange rind in a large saucepan.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for approximately 40 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.


Preheat the oven to 150C.


Heat the oil in a large frypan over high heat.  Cook the pork in batches, browning all the sides well.

Place the browned meat into the stock mixture.  Cover (I forgot to do this!!?) the surface with non-stick baking paper.  Cover with a lid, and bake for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.  Remove the lid, and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes just to reduce the liquid down a little.

Remove the meat from the liquid, and gently smoosh with a fork to make the meat start falling apart.


You may like to at this point place the cooking liquid on the stove and reduce it down further - but if you are like me - you just got to start eating this lovely smelling concoction!!










Serve the meat over warmed up rice noodles, garnish with coriander sprigs.

What can I say, you can smell the aromas can't you?  mmm - I am so glad that "The Darlings" both went for sleep overs last night - now there are some delectable leftovers for me today!!!