I would love to introduce you to a super-easy boiled pork, also called white cut pork. It is a classic Chinese dish celebrated for its simplicity, juicy and tender texture, and great flavor when served with a dipping sauce.
It is one of the top recommendations for beginners. Unlike braised or roasted pork dishes, we will use the lowest effort. No marinating, no pan-frying, turning over. A whole cut of pork butt, my favorite part, is gently simmered in broth until cooked through. Then we will cut it into thin slices and then served with a wonderful dipping sauce. It has a tender, juicy, silky, and melt-in-the-mouth texture that everyone in the family will love.
White cut is a widely used Chinese cooking method. It is about honest cooking — using the simplest method possible to reveal the best version of an ingredient. When cooking with different ingredients, we may choose different side ingredients or aromatics. I have shared similar white-cut lamb before. In that version, lots of spices are added because lamb carries what the Chinese call shanwei (羶味) — a strong, grassy, sometimes funky aroma. But for white-cut chicken, only white pepper, scallion, and ginger are used to preserve the original taste of high-quality chicken. But for pork, we will use daikon radish or winter melon.
A tip for the broth
Adding daikon radish or winter melon to the pot while the pork simmers is a game-changer. On the one hand, those two ingredients can help remove the faint raw taste; on the other hand, they can further lend the pork a gentle, vegetal sweetness. You can choose either type.
However, no matter which vegetables you choose, always use super-large chunks while simmering. Smaller ones may break and spoil the soup base.
Which cut to use
The best cut for this recipe is pork butt. I love using this cut for all kinds of stir-frying. Pork butt (also called Boston butt) actually comes from the upper shoulder of the pig. A cut of high-quality pork will be marbled with intramuscular fat. But not as much as pork belly.
You can also try with pork tenderloin, which carries more lean meat. But the texture will be less juicy. Pork belly is another great option if you want a fattier cut.
The magic of dipping sauces
All white cut dishes are served with one or two dipping sauces. For white-cut chicken, ginger-and-scallion sauce is the most popular. For pork, I will pair it with a spicy, savory dipping sauce. You can half-dip, keeping the other half to taste both and make comparisons.
Adding a little tiny ingredient like lime juice or white vinegar is my favorite way to highlight the white, cute pork butt or pork belly. A touch of acid will brighten it and remove the heaviness of fat.
Step by Step
Clean the pork butt first, and then soak it in clean water for around 30 minutes. This helps to remove any raw taste.
Then prepare a large pot with clean water, add large daikon chunks, scallion, smashed ginger, and the pork.
Cover the lid and bring it to a boil; remove any floats after boiling.
Slow the fire to a simmer for 50 minutes.
Take the pork out, cut it into slices, and then serve it with dipping sauces.
Break the daikon, add a small pinch of salt to the soup, and garnish with some chopped green onion. You get a lovely match of white, cute pork, and a delicious daikon soup.
- 200 g pork butt
- 300 g daikon radish OR winter melon
- 3 pieces fresh ginger sliced
- 1 scallion
- 6 cups water
Sauce
- 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp. chopped green onions
- 1 tsp..sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. chili oil optional
- 1 tbsp. roasted sesame seeds optional
- 1/2 lime
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Clean the pork butt firstly and then soak in clean water for around 30 minutes. This helps to remove any raw taste.
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Then prepare a large pot with clean water, add large daikon chunks, scallion, smashed ginger as well as the pork.
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Cover the lid and bring it to a boil, remove any floats after boiling.
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Slow down the fire and simmer for 50 minutes.
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Take the pork out, cut into slices and then serve with dipping sauces.
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Break the daikon, add a small pinch of salt to the soup and garnish some chopped green onion. You get a lovely match of white cute pork and a delicious daikon soup.
