Red Braised Pork Belly Recipe
This Chinese red braised pork belly (hong shao rou) simmers low and slow in caramelized rock sugar, Shaoxing wine and soy until meltingly tender and lacquered.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly cut into 1-inch chunks
- Neutral oil for cooking
- 2 tbsp rock sugar or white sugar
- Water enough to cover the pork
For the Braise
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Optional Garnish
- Scallions
- Steamed rice
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into 1-inch chunks and set aside.
- Blanch the pork for a few minutes in boiling water to get rid of the impurities, then drain.
- Heat a pan over medium heat with a bit of oil. Add the rock sugar and cook until it's liquified and golden brown.
- Add the blanched pork belly and brown on all sides.
- Add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and enough water to cover the pork belly. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for an hour.
- Every 15 minutes or so, remove the lid and mix everything to prevent the sugars from burning.
- Remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat.
- Serve the pork over an optional bowl of rice. Pour on some more of the sauce and garnish with scallions if you like. But it's your food, you eat it how you like.
Video
Notes
- Blanch the pork belly first — it removes impurities and gives you a cleaner, less greasy final dish.
- Watch the caramel closely. Rock sugar goes from amber to burnt in seconds, and burnt sugar turns the whole dish bitter.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer. Low and slow is what gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Reduce the sauce uncovered at the end for that glossy, lacquered finish.
- Tastes even better the next day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 883kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 67g