Red Braised Smoked Pork Jowl

It’s Sunday afternoon. The sun is shining on a clear blue sky, temperature is around 60°F, little wind. Baseball spring training is active and we have a Tiger’s game playing as we sit by the fire on the firepit.  It’s a fine day for good food including this smoked and braised pork jowl.
▶️ Play Red Braised Smoked Pork Jowl

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from the New York Times. I do suspect that using scallions (i.e. green onions) would probably have been better than using the small white onion I did use. Shoaxing wine would make , I think, a richer flavor than the mirin I used. Maybe a dry white wine would be good.

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 pounds pork jowl
• 1 small onion, sliced (or 3-4 green onions, chopped)
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 2 Tbs neutral oil
• 3 Tbs honey or hot honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup
• Shaoxing wine or a bit less mirin ( former is likely better as it is drier in flavor)
• 1/2-1 tsp ground ginger or 2-4 thin sliced fresh ginger
• 1 cup water, beer, or stock
• 3 whole star anise

Instructions

1. This step is optional, but I cold smoked the pork jowl for about 90 minutes first. The original recipe suggests cubing the pork and then boiling it for a minute or so. I am not sure what this would accomplish that the braising for several hours would not, but maybe it cuts out some bad taste. Since I smoked the meat I did not do this boil.
2. Cut the pork into 1.5-2 inch chunks.
3. In a high sided pan or wok over a low medium heat warm the oil until it is just smoking. Then add the honey and garlic if you are using it. Raise the heat to a medium and let the mixture thicken and caramelize. The original recipe uses rock sugar instead of the honey. 
4. Place the pork jowl chunks in the sauce. This may need to be done in batches. Cook for a few minutes on each side to caramelize and brown the meat.
5. Add the onions or scallions, soy sauce, wine, stock liquid, ginger, and star anise. Use enough liquid to cover 1/2-2/3rds up the meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
6. Cover and simmer until the pork is tender. Over a lively fire on a pretty fast simmer this takes 2.5 to 3 hours.