Equipment Needed
- A large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid
- Tongs
- A sturdy wooden spoon
- A sharp chef’s knife and cutting board
- A small bowl for mixing the glaze components
- A fine mesh strainer (optional, for a super-smooth glaze)
- A serving platter or bowls
Step-by-Step Instructions
I always start by patting my pork chunks completely dry with paper towels—this is the secret to a good sear. I heat the oil in my Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then I add the pork in a single layer, sprinkling it with the salt and pepper. You’ll need to resist moving it for a solid 3-4 minutes to get a proper golden-brown crust. I learned the hard way that crowding the pan steams the meat; I do this in two batches now. Once all the pork is beautifully seared and set aside, I lower the heat and add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the same pot. The sizzle and immediate fragrance are incredible. I scrape up all those delicious browned bits (the fond) from the bottom—that’s pure flavor gold.
Now, the fun part: building the braising liquid. I return the pork to the pot and pour in the soy sauce and rice vinegar. It will sizzle and steam wonderfully. Then, I add only one cup of the broth or water, along with half of the fresh pineapple chunks. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the pork, not submerge it completely. I bring it to a gentle simmer, put the lid on, and slide the whole pot into a 325°F (160°C) oven. This is where I walk away for 2.5 hours. The first time I made this, I kept nervously checking, but I’ve learned that a watched pot truly never braises. Just let it be.
While the pork works its magic, I make the glaze. In a small saucepan, I combine the remaining pineapple chunks, brown sugar, and honey. I mash the pineapple a bit with a fork to release its juices and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a syrupy, jam-like consistency. I sometimes give it a quick blitz with an immersion blender for a smoother glaze, but leaving it a bit chunky is wonderful, too. This glaze is so good I have to stop myself from eating it with a spoon.
When the pork is fork-tender, I carefully remove the pot from the oven. Using tongs, I transfer the pork to a bowl. At this stage, I like to skim any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid with a spoon. Then, I stir in about half of my pineapple glaze right into the pot, letting the residual heat marry the flavors. I return the pork to this saucy goodness, gently turning to coat. This second bath in the glaze makes every piece absolutely irresistible.(See the next page below to continue…)