Pork Bone Collagen Hotpot Broth

Instructions

• Collagen Stock

  • 1

    First, blanch and clean the bones. Place pork bones, pork trotter, chicken feet and chicken bones in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and leave it for 5 minutes. This helps draw out impurities that you don't want in your final stock.

  • 2

    Drain the water. Rinse the blanched bones under running water to remove the extracted impurities and place the bones into a clean large pot (You can clean the first pot and reuse it). Pour in the vinegar and water (equal weight of water and bones) and place the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to just keep it at a rolling boil. The vinegar will help extract the collagen from the bones. Remove any scum that comes out for the first 5 minutes of boiling.

  • 3

    Boil the stock for at least 5 hours, or up to 11 hours if you are able. Boiling it for longer will help extract more collagen. Boiling will also help the collagen and fats to emulsify in the water, producing a creamy, milky broth. The water level will keep falling as it evaporates. Top it up regularly to maintain the water level.

  • 4

    When you're nearing the end of the boiling period, cut the leek, ginger, and spring onions into small pieces.

  • 5

    Add the leek, ginger and spring onions to the pot and boil for one more hour.

  • 6

    Strain the stock using a fine mesh strainer into a container and discard all solids. Allow the stock to cool, then refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. You can use it immediately or store for up to a week in the fridge and 4 weeks in the freezer.

• To Finish

  • 1

    Add the stock to your hotpot. If you refrigerated it, it should be a very firm jelly due to its high collagen content.

  • 2

    Put your hotpot on the heat and add Chinese cooking wine, dates, goji berries, MSG, salt and sugar and let it come to a boil. It's now ready for hotpot.