A classic Chinese dish featuring incredibly tender pork belly simmered in a rich, sweet, and savory caramelized soy sauce until glossy and melt-in-your-mouth. It’s a true comfort food.
Shanghai Red Braised Pork Belly
A classic Chinese dish featuring incredibly tender pork belly simmered in a rich, sweet, and savory caramelized soy sauce until glossy and melt-in-your-mouth. It's a true comfort food.
Ingredients
- 700 gram pork belly skin on
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 tablespoon rock sugar or granulated sugar
- 4 slices ginger fresh
- 2 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cinnamon stick small
- 3 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 cup water or enough to cover pork
Instructions
- Blanch the pork belly: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly cubes and blanch for 3-5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse the pork cubes under cold water. Set aside.
- Prepare the caramel: Heat cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the rock sugar and melt it, stirring constantly, until it turns into an amber-colored caramel. Be careful not to burn it.
- Sear the pork: Add the blanched pork belly to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and coated with the caramel. This helps seal in the flavor and gives it color.
- Add aromatics and liquids: Add ginger slices, scallion pieces, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the pot. Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir to combine. Add enough water (or chicken stock) to just cover the pork belly.
- Simmer: Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 60-90 minutes, or until the pork belly is fork-tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Reduce the sauce: Once the pork is tender, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Let the sauce simmer and reduce, stirring frequently, until it thickens and becomes glossy. Discard the ginger, scallions, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped scallions and serve hot with steamed white rice.
Notes
For best flavor, refrigerate the braised pork belly in its sauce overnight and reheat the next day. The flavors deepen significantly. You can adjust the sweetness by adding more or less rock sugar. Serve with steamed rice and blanched greens like bok choy.
