Thai-Style Caramel-Braised Pork with Star Anise

By Hisham Ali HassanFebruary 24, 2026

Makes
6 servings
Cook Time
45 minutes
Slow Cook Time
9 to 10 hours
Active time plus cooling
1¾ hours

The savory-sweet, warmly spiced braise known as moo hong is from southern Thailand but has Chinese roots. The classic cut of meat for the brothy stew is fatty pork belly, but in this Instant Pot version, we use leaner, meatier shoulder to moderate the richness. Made the Thai way, cilantro roots would be pounded in a mortar with a pestle along with other aromatics, but cilantro stems and a food processor are good stand-ins for making the aromatic paste that supplies the flavor base for the braise. Brown sugar takes the place of palm sugar, and cooking it until it begins to caramelize adds depth and complexity. Make sure your star anise and cinnamon are fresh and fragrant. Serve with jasmine rice.

Tip

Don’t leave the pork in the pot when reducing the braising liquid. Transfer it to a bowl when cooking is done, before reduction begins. This will make it easier to estimate when the liquid is properly reduced and the meat won’t end up overdone and shreddy.

Ingredients

8
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4
medium shallots, roughly chopped
1
bunch cilantro, stems roughly chopped, leaves roughly chopped, reserved separately
2
tablespoons neutral oil
3
tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
5
star anise pods
2
cinnamon sticks
3
pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
2
tablespoons soy sauce, plus more if needed
1
tablespoon fish sauce
Kosher salt and ground white pepper

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots and cilantro stems. Process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select Normal/Medium Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the garlic mixture and sugar; cook, stirring often, until the sugar begins to caramelize and stick to the pot, about 8 minutes. Add the star anise and cinnamon sticks; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork, ½ cup water, the soy sauce, fish sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon white pepper; stir, then distribute in an even layer.

Step 2

Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 30 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Step 3

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a bowl; remove and discard the star anise and cinnamon sticks. With a large spoon, skim off and discard some of the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Select More/High Sauté, bring the liquid to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Return the pork to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with additional soy sauce and white pepper. Serve sprinkled with the cilantro leaves.