Braised Pork Intestine Recipe

Inspect and turn

Rinse the pork intestine under cold running water. Turn the intestine inside out by sliding your hand under one end and pulling gently so the inner wall is exposed.

Salt scrub

Rub the inside and outside thoroughly with coarse salt (about 2 tablespoons) for 3–5 minutes to remove surface grime and odors. Rinse under cold water until the water runs mostly clear.

Vinegar bath

Place the turned, salted intestine in a bowl, add the white vinegar (60 ml) and the smashed ginger pieces and white parts of green onions. Massage briefly and let sit 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, turning back to the regular orientation when clean. Trim and discard any extremely fatty or ragged ends. Cut the intestine into 6–8 pieces about 6–8 cm long; set aside.

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the intestine pieces (about 1.5–2 liters). Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt, a few slices of ginger and the white parts of the green onions. Bring to a rolling boil, add the intestine pieces and blanch for 5 minutes to remove remaining impurities. Remove intestines and rinse under cold water; discard blanching liquid.

Sear aromatics

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic, sliced ginger, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and bay leaf. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt.

Brown intestines

Add the parboiled intestine pieces, increase heat to medium-high and sear for 3–4 minutes, turning to get light color on several surfaces. This develops flavor and helps tighten the texture.

Deglaze and season

Pour in the Shaoxing wine (60 ml) to deglaze, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits. Add light soy sauce (60 ml), dark soy sauce (15 ml) and rock sugar (20 g). Stir to combine and let the sugar dissolve for about 1 minute.

Add braising liquid

Pour in the water or low-sodium chicken stock (900 ml) so the intestines are mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the pot maintains a low simmer (small bubbles).

Simmer

Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, checking after 45 minutes. Turn pieces once or twice so they cook evenly. The intestines should become tender but still hold shape; cooking time varies by thickness.

Adjust seasoning

After simmering, taste the braising liquid and add coarse salt (about 1 tsp) and white pepper (1 tsp) as needed. Continue simmering uncovered 10–15 minutes to reduce and concentrate flavors if the liquid is too thin.

Finish the sauce by stirring in 1 teaspoon light soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. If you prefer a thicker glaze, remove the intestines, boil the liquid briskly for 4–6 minutes to reduce until slightly syrupy, then return the intestines to coat and warm through.

Transfer the braised intestines to a serving plate, sprinkle with thinly sliced green onion greens and chopped cilantro if using. Serve warm as a main with rice or as a cold-sliced appetizer once chilled (slice thinly across the grain).