Filipino Pata Tim Recipe

Pata tim is a whole pork leg cooked low and slow in a sweet and savory sauce. Shaoxing wine and star anise are the flavor components that make this Filipino Chinese-style braised dish delicious.

What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to cook. After a couple of hours on the stove with minimal tending, you get melt-in-your-mouth meat and an amazing sauce that everyone will love.

My Ingredients

• 4 pounds whole pork leg (ask butcher to cut at 2-inch intervals)
• 3 tablespoons oil (use high smoke point oil like canola)
• ½ cup Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 pieces star anise
• 4 cups water
• 4 pieces fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 bundle bok choy, ends trimmed and leaves separated

How I Make My Filipino Pata Tim

1. First, I rinse the pork leg under cold running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. In a wide pan over high heat, I heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sear the pork leg on all sides until lightly browned, then set it aside.
2. In a large pot, I combine Chinese cooking wine, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and water. Over medium heat, I bring this to a boil, stirring regularly until the sugar completely dissolves.
3. I gently place the seared pork leg into the liquid mixture and boil for about 5 minutes. This helps the flavors penetrate the meat.
4. I lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone. During cooking, I add more water in ½ cup increments as needed to maintain about 2 cups of sauce.
5. While the pork is finishing, I rinse my shiitake mushrooms and slice them into 1-inch thick strips. In a pan with the remaining oil over high heat, I cook the mushrooms for about 1 minute until heated through, then remove and keep warm.
6. In the same pan, I add the bok choy and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring regularly, until tender yet still crisp.
7. I place the braised pork leg on a serving platter and arrange the bok choy and shiitake mushrooms around it. Then I generously spoon that incredible sauce over the vegetables and meat before serving hot.
8. Enjoy your Filipino pata tim!

My Personal Tips

• I pat the pork completely dry before searing for the best browning.
• Don't skip the initial searing. It locks in flavor.
• Use fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms. If using dried, soak for 20-30 minutes first.
• The natural gelatin from bones and skin will thicken the sauce beautifully.
• Add water gradually during cooking to maintain sauce consistency.
• The star anise adds that distinctive Chinese flavor.
• Serve with plenty of steamed rice to soak up that amazing sauce.

Related

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Filipino Pata Tim Recipe

My pata tim is a whole pork leg braised low and slow in sweet and savory Chinese-style sauce with star anise until melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 4 pounds whole pork leg (ask butcher to cut at 2-inch intervals)
• 3 tablespoons oil (use high smoke point oil like canola)
• ½ cup Chinese cooking wine Shaoxing wine
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 pieces star anise
• 4 cups water
• 4 pieces fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 bundle bok choy (ends trimmed and leaves separated)

Method

 

1. First, I rinse the pork leg under cold running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. In a wide pan over high heat, I heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sear the pork leg on all sides until lightly browned, then set it aside.
2. In a large pot, I combine Chinese cooking wine, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and water. Over medium heat, I bring this to a boil, stirring regularly until the sugar completely dissolves.
3. I gently place the seared pork leg into the liquid mixture and boil for about 5 minutes. This helps the flavors penetrate the meat.
4. I lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone. During cooking, I add more water in ½ cup increments as needed to maintain about 2 cups of sauce.
5. While the pork is finishing, I rinse my shiitake mushrooms and slice them into 1-inch thick strips. In a pan with the remaining oil over high heat, I cook the mushrooms for about 1 minute until heated through, then remove and keep warm.
6. In the same pan, I add the bok choy and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring regularly, until tender yet still crisp.
7. I place the braised pork leg on a serving platter and arrange the bok choy and shiitake mushrooms around it. Then I generously spoon that incredible sauce over the vegetables and meat before serving hot.
8. Enjoy your Filipino pata tim!

Notes

• I pat the pork completely dry before searing for the best browning.
• Don't skip the initial searing. It locks in flavor.
• Use fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms. If using dried, soak for 20-30 minutes first.
• The natural gelatin from bones and skin will thicken the sauce beautifully.
• Add water gradually during cooking to maintain sauce consistency.
• The star anise adds that distinctive Chinese flavor.
• Serve with plenty of steamed rice to soak up that amazing sauce.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!