Winter is coming, and soups are always the most famous star on our table. Using this recipe, I will guide you through blanching pork and making a perfect pork soup. You may wonder which cut to blanch for pork. My answer is large pork bones, pork butt, and ribs.
It is common sense to blanch pork bones first because blanching can help remove impurities and excess blood, improving the meat’s overall flavor. That’s a widely accepted and used Chinese cooking theory, especially for soups. We blanch almost all kinds of protein and bones.
Chinese soups differ from the common soups in Western because they are super light in texture and serve like a breavage on a Chinese table. Although light, we love all kinds of Chinese soup for its rich flavors and diverse ingredients.
The main ingredient in Chinese soup is meat, especially meat with bones and different kinds of vegetables. Pork is the most commonly used meat, including ribs, spare beds, and large pork bones. After a long simmering process, pork bones release collagen and gelatin, creating a great flavor.
However, good flavors depend on the ingredients and the preparation process. Blanching is the crucial step for a clear, odd-taste-free Chinese pork soup.
How to Blanch Pork for Soups and Stews
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add scallion, ginger, Shaoxing wine, and then add the pork or pork bones.
Start the fire now and heat until the water is boiling. Use a high fire and cook the contents, vigorously boiling for 5 minutes. You can see the impurities floating on the surface. That’s why we need to blanch the pork.
I recommend picking the bones up with a tool rather than pouring the content directly so the impurities can’t attach to the surface.
If impurities are connected to the pork bones, we must clean them. Remember to rinse under warm water.
Prepare another pot and load it with enough clean water. Bring the water to a boil and add the pork. I love to use an Instant Pot for most of my soups. Even if an Instant Pot is used, remember to add hot water. Keep the soup simmering for around 30 minutes.
Then, you can add your favorite side ingredients, such as tulips, carrots, corn, Chinese yams, or even potatoes, to your soup.
Let’s make a pork and radish soup with the blanched pork bones
Load another clean pot with hot water, add pork bones and smashed ginger, and continue cooking for 30 minutes over the middle to slow the fire.
Then, add your side ingredients; I use radish and carrot sections for this recipe. Season the soup with salt. Continue to cook for around 20 minutes until the radish is soft.
Key tips
- The blanching process should start with cold water.
- Once the water begins to boil, use a high fire to let it boil vigorously to remove the impurities.
- If you need to wash the blanched bones, use warm water.
- Add hot water to start cooking your soup to keep the meat on the bone juice and tender.
- Add the side ingredient at the beginning of soups in an instant pot.
How to Blanch Pork for Soups with a Radish and Corn Pork Bone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large pork bones
- 1 piece of smashed ginger
- 2 scallions
- 1 tbsp. shaoxing wine
Radish and Corn Pork Soup
- 1/2 long radish
- 2 L hot water
- 1 whole corn cut into small sections
- 1 piece of smashed ginger
- salt to taste I use around 3 tsp.
Instructions
Blanch the clean the pork
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add scallion, ginger, and Shaoxing wine, and then add the pork or pork bones. Start the fire now and heat until the water is boiling. Use a high fire and keep cooking the contents for 5 minutes. You can see the impurities floating on the surface. That’s why we need to blanch the pork.
- I recommend picking the bones up with a tool so the impurities can’t attach to the surface.
- If there is any impurities attached and you feel necessary to clean it. Remember to rinse under warm water.
Make the radish and carrot pork bone soup
- Load another clean pot with hot water, add pork bones, smashed ginger and continue cooking for around 30 minutes over middle to slow fire.
- Then add your side ingredients, for this recipe, I use radish and carrot sections. Season the soup with salt. Continue cook for around 20 minutes until the radish is soft.
- Serve hot. You can prepare a dipping sauce for the side ingredient and serve together.
