Hong Shao Rou: Red-Braised Pork Belly
Melt-in-your-mouth cubes of pork belly slow-braised in a deeply aromatic sauce of caramelized sugar, soy sauce, star anise, and cinnamon until each piece trembles with rich, sticky perfection. This is the ultimate Chinese comfort food, the dish Chairman Mao reportedly could not live without.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs skin-on pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 slices fresh ginger
+ 11 more ingredients
Instructions
Place the pork belly cubes in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes to remove impurities. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry.
Heat the vegetable oil and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir continuously as the sugar melts and slowly turns from golden to deep amber caramel, about 4-5 minutes.
Carefully add the blanched pork belly cubes to the caramel. Toss to coat every piece in the caramelized sugar, cooking for 2 minutes until the pork is lightly browned on all sides.
Add ginger slices, scallion pieces, star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in Shaoxing wine and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Add light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, stirring to combine.
Add enough hot water to just barely cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover and simmer gently for 60-75 minutes until the pork is fork-tender and the fat is translucent and jiggly.
If adding eggs, nestle the peeled hard-boiled eggs into the sauce during the last 30 minutes of braising.
Remove the lid during the final 10 minutes and increase heat to medium. Let the sauce reduce until it is thick, glossy, and clings to each piece of pork. Season with salt to taste.
Serve over steamed white rice with the braised eggs halved alongside, spooning the rich sauce over everything.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI