Chinese Red-Cooked Pork

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using sharp chef knife, score 3-inch slits all over pork skin (do not cut into flesh). Place pork in heavy ovenproof soup pot or large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. Add enough cold water to cover pork. Bring to boil over high heat; cook 8 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water. Return pork to dry pot.

Drizzle 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup mirin over pork; sprinkle with salt. Pour 1/2 cup water in pan around pork. Cover and braise in oven 30 minutes. Turn pork over; baste with pan juices. Cook 30 minutes longer; turn pork over and baste again. Add remaining soy sauce, sherry, water, star anise, ginger and sugar. Cook until pork is tender, turning and basting with pan juices every 30 minutes, about 1 hour. Turn pork skin side up; baste again. Increase heat to 375 degrees F. Cook uncovered until pork is glazed and skin is slightly crisp, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer pork to cutting board with juice-catching channel; cool 5 minutes. Remove and discard fat and skin from pork, if desired. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Pour all juices from pan and any accumulated juices from cutting board into fat separator.

Serve slices over steamed rice; drizzle with pan juices. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.