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Thịt đông (pork in aspic)
Pork hock and wood ear mushrooms simmered in fish sauce, then set in their own clear, savoury jelly
Thịt đông is a dish of the cold northern Tết, when families once left bowls of simmered pork outside overnight to set; today the fridge does the job. Pork hock and pork skin are cooked gently with shallots, fish sauce and black pepper until the meat is tender and the broth is rich in natural gelatine, then wood ear mushrooms are added for crunch and everything sets into a clear, wobbly jelly. It is eaten cold, cut into wedges, with hot rice, bánh chưng and a bowl of pickled shallots to cut the richness. No gelatine powder is needed. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a bare simmer and skim often; a rolling boil clouds the jelly.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pork
- 2 ⅝ lb pork hock (front leg)cut into 4 cm pieces by the butcher
- 7 oz pork skincut into strips
- 1 tbsp saltfor cleaning
- 4 shallotsthinly sliced
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1.2 litres water
To finish
- ½ oz dried wood ear mushroomssoaked 20 minutes, trimmed and sliced
- 1 carrot (optional)sliced into thin flowers
- 1 handful coriander leaves (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅝ lb pork hock (front leg) and 7 oz pork skin with 1 tbsp salt, rinse, then drop into a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and scrape off any scum or hairs.
10 minStep 2: In a heavy pot over medium heat, fry 4 shallots in 1 tbsp neutral oil for 3 minutes until golden and fragrant.
3 minStep 3: Add the pork, 3 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp ground black pepper and turn for 3 minutes until the meat firms and takes on colour. Take off the heat; if you want to marinate it longer, cool it and keep it in the fridge, never on the counter.
5 minStep 4: Pour in 1.2 litres water, bring just to the boil, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.
10 minStep 5: Simmer uncovered for 2½–3 hours, skimming foam often, until the hock is fork-tender and the skin is soft and sticky. The meat is far past the safe 160°F. Common mistake: boiling hard, which emulsifies fat into the broth and makes the jelly cloudy.
170 minStep 6: Add ½ oz dried wood ear mushrooms and 1 carrot for the last 10 minutes. Taste the broth; it should be a little saltier than you like, as cold dishes taste milder.
10 minStep 7: Divide the meat, skin and mushrooms between 4 small bowls, then strain the hot broth over through a fine sieve to just cover. Top with 1 handful coriander leaves.
5 minStep 8: Cool for no more than 1 hour, then cover and chill for at least 6 hours, until set firm. Lift off the white fat layer, run a knife around and turn out. Keep covered in the fridge and eat within 4 days.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thịt đông (pork in aspic) take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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