Delicious and Hearty Chinese Braised Pork Belly (红烧肉)

Chinese Braised Pork Belly or 红烧肉 (hóngshāoròu) is one of my favourite Chinese dishes I like to eat. Again I first tried this dish when I was working in Guangzhou and my cousin’s grandma had made it for dinner. The lean and fatty layer of pork belly was a part of pigs that I hadn’t tried before going to China and it was absolutely delicious. The texture along with a rich thick savoury-sweet sauce, paired nicely with jasmine rice and other side dishes was incredibly divine. Of course, the experimentalist in me had to learn to make braised pork belly for myself once I returned back to the UK. After a few trials and learning from authentic chinese language recipes I finally was able to master the recipe myself, reminding me each time of my days in China. The good news is that when we have family and guests over and I make this, they absolutely love it!

History of Chinese Braised Pork Belly 红烧肉

红烧肉 has a history that spans several centuries, though its exact origins are widely debated. Furthermore there are a number of variations to this dish depending where in China you go, yet the main components remain the same. These component consisting of pork belly slices and slow cooked in a sweet-savoury sauce. “红烧肉” directly translates to red cooked meat in English, due to the pork’s reddish-brown colour at the end of cooking. This vibrant hue is achieved through the caramelization of sugar during the cooking process. I have to reiterate how delicious this dish is, and the chewy texture of the pork is wonderful.

Ingredient notes

Pork belly: The main ingredient for this dish, pork belly is a fatty section of meat and provides a rich base soaking up all the flavours and spices blended together.

Shaoxing wine: This staple is Chinese cooking is useful in removing any rawness from meat and is commonly used when marinating.

Ingredients

Parboiling pork

• 1 kg pork belly slices
• 3 slices ginger
• 2 stem spring onions
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Braising pork

• 5 garlic cloves (each chopped in half)
• 4 slices ginger
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 star anise
• 3 dried chillies
• 12 rock sugar
• 1 tbsp lard
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups water

Cooking instructions

1. Prepare the Pork
Start by slicing the pork belly into 1-inch pieces, then place the pork in a large pot and fill it with water. Add 3 slices of ginger and the green part of 2 spring onions to the pot and turn the heat up to medium high. Add 1 tbsp of shaoxing wine.

After about 10 minutes, you’ll notice some scum forming on the surface. Remove the pork and wash it in a colander. Pat it dry and place it back into a clean pot.

2. Sear the Pork
Heat the pot with the pork over medium heat. Sear the pork belly until it turns golden brown (some oil may be emitted from the pork). Once browned, set the seared pork aside and remove any leftover meat residue from the pot. Give the pot a quick clean and return to the stove.

3. Making the base
Add 1 tbsp of lard to the pork and once melted add in the rock sugar and let them melt and caramelize until they turn a beautiful golden brown. To speed up the process smash the sugar until it’s broken up and dissolved. Be careful not to let the sugar become too dark, as this will make the sauce bitter.

Next add in all the aromatic spices (garlic, ginger, star anise, bay leaves, dried chilies) and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until they release their beautiful aroma.

4. Combine!
Return the pork belly to the pot and stir everything together for about a minute. Add in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, and 1 tbsp of shaoxing wine. Stir for another 2 minutes to ensure the pork has softly absorbed the juices. Now pour in just enough water to cover the pork.

5. Slow Simmering and Thickening
Reduce the heat to lowest and let the dish simmer for 45 minutes. This slow cooking process is going to tenderize the pork and allow the flavors to blend together nicely.

After 45 minutes, turn up the heat to medium-high to allow the sauce to thicken for about 5-10. Do keep an eye on it and stir every 3 minutes to prevent the sauce from thickening too quickly or burning.

6. Now serving your Chinese Braised Pork Belly!
Once the sauce has reached your desired consistency, turn off the heat. And voila! Serve with jasmine rice and veg on the side (I recommend bak choi or choi sum).

FAQs when making Chinese Braised Pork Belly

1. Can I use a different cut of pork if I can’t find pork belly?
   Yes, you can use other cuts like pork shoulder or pork butt, but the result may have a slightly different texture and flavor.
2. What if I can’t find rock sugar? Can I substitute regular sugar?
   While rock sugar is preferred for its unique texture and color, you can use regular sugar as a substitute in a pinch.
3. How can I make the dish less spicy if I’m not a fan of heat?
   Simply reduce the amount of dried chilies or omit them altogether to make the dish milder.
4. What side dishes pair well with 红烧肉?
   Common side dishes include steamed bok choy, stir-fried greens, or pickled vegetables. Steamed rice is a must to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Chinese Braised Pork Belly

A popular Chinese dish favourite. This succulent braised pork belly also known as 红烧肉 is soaked in flavour – it's a great accompaniment with rice.

4 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 11 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Servings 5 people

Calories 380 kcal

Ingredients

  

Parboiling pork

• 1 kg pork belly slices
• 3 slices ginger
• 2 stem spring onions
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Braising pork

• 5 garlic cloves (each chopped in half)
• 4 slices ginger
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 star anise
• 3 dried chillies
• 12 rock sugar
• 1 tbsp lard
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups water

Instructions

 

• Start by slicing the pork belly into 1 inch bites. Place in a pot and fill with water. Turn heat on high and add largely chopped spring onion (the green part) and 1 tbsp of shaoxing wine. After about 10 minutes, scum should arise. Remove and wash the pork in a colander. Pat dry and put back in a clean pot.
• With the fire on medium heat, sear the pork belly until browning and then set aside. Remove any meat residue from the pot and clean.
• Put the pot back on the fire and add 1 tbsp of lard. Once hot add in the rock sugar breaking it up. The sugar should melt and soon turn a caramelised brown. One the colour changes (do not let it become too dark, otherwise sauce will taste bitter), add in all the spices (garlic, ginger, star anise, bay leaf, dried chillies) and stir fry for 3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the pork belly and stir for a minute. Then add in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and shaoxing wine. Stir for 2 minutes and then add in enough water just to about cover the pork.
• Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. After the time, turn the heat up to medium high to let the sauce thicken. This should take between 5-15 minutes. Keep checking every 3 minutes to ensure the sauce doesn't thicken too quick and burn.
• Turn the fire off and serve with a bowl of rice.

Keyword One-pot, Stovetop

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