Add a spoonful of this water to make Chinese braised pork flavorful, tender, and irresistible! Guaranteed to be delicious

For Vietnamese people, from the North to the South, they are now familiar with the dish “thịt kho tàu” (braised pork in fish sauce) eaten with rice, especially when the weather turns cold. Most families have this dish, but not everyone can cook it well. Many people use coconut water or coconut milk to make “thịt kho tàu”. However, there is a secret that chefs in restaurants often use, which is to add beer when cooking “thịt kho tàu”.

Beer is a popular beverage. In addition to its alcoholic properties, beer contains many vitamins and minerals that stimulate digestion and add a delicious aroma to the dish. Using beer helps enhance the flavor and attractiveness of the dish. Moreover, the yeast in beer helps to quickly tenderize the pork by breaking down proteins and fats more quickly. Tender meat allows you to braise the pork quickly without it becoming dry and tough. Therefore, adding beer to your “thịt kho tàu” will make it look tender, but not mushy, and beautifully glossy. The beer flavor also helps to make the meat more fragrant and sweeter. Don’t worry about the beer smell lingering because the alcohol will evaporate during cooking, leaving only its nutritional properties.

Making “thịt kho tàu” with beer

Prepare the ingredients: Good quality pork belly, about 300g or depending on your family’s portion, one can of beer, 1 onion, 1 bulb of garlic, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder.

Preparation: Rinse the pork belly with diluted saltwater to remove any unpleasant odor. Pour water into a pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of rice wine, and then add the cleaned pork belly, bring to a boil and simmer for a while, then remove and rinse thoroughly. Then, cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, neither too thick nor too thin.

Cooking method: Heat the pot on the stove, add a little cooking oil, then add the chopped onion and minced garlic to stir-fry until fragrant. Then, add the pork and stir-fry evenly to give the meat a golden color on all sides. After that, add the can of beer, along with 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, and a few slices of ginger. Cover the pot and simmer the pork for about 45-60 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally. When the meat turns a delicious golden color, turn off the heat. The finished “thịt kho tàu” should have a rich brown color and a strong and savory taste. The pork should be tender, but not mushy, and it should melt in your mouth without being greasy.

Because beer contains yeast, which helps to tenderize the meat quickly, you can also use it to marinate beef or make other meat dishes to speed up the tenderizing process and shorten the cooking time.