Red-Braised Pork Belly

Name: Red-Braised Pork Belly
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: 600g, cut into 4cm cubes Pork belly; 3 tablespoons Light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce; 40g Rock sugar or brown sugar; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine; 4 slices Ginger; 2 whole Star anise; 3 cloves, smashed Garlic; 1 teaspoon White vinegar; to taste Salt; for garnish Green onions

Tender pork belly slowly simmered in a rich, savory-sweet sauce until melt-in-your-mouth perfection. This classic Chinese comfort dish features melt-in-your-mouth pork pieces with deep umami flavor.

1h 45m

Medium

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Story

This dish is all about patience—low and slow cooking transforms tough pork belly into something incredibly tender. The trick of starting with cold water and a splash of vinegar helps keep the meat juicy as it cooks.

Ingredients

Pork belly 600g, cut into 4cm cubes

Light soy sauce 3 tablespoons

Dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon

Rock sugar or brown sugar 40g

Shaoxing wine 2 tablespoons

Ginger 4 slices

Star anise 2 whole

Garlic 3 cloves, smashed

White vinegar 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Green onions for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the pork

Cut the pork belly into roughly 4cm (mahjong tile-sized) cubes. Rinse briefly under cold water, then soak in a bowl with cold water and Shaoxing wine for about 5 minutes to remove any gamey taste. Drain and pat dry.

Start the braise

Place pork in a cold pot and add water to cover the meat by about 2cm. Add the white vinegar and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a very gentle simmer.

Add aromatics and season

Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add ginger, garlic, star anise, and both types of soy sauce. Crumble in the rock sugar and stir to dissolve. The liquid should be just barely bubbling.

Slow braise

Cover the pot and let cook on very low heat for about 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. The pork is ready when it's fork-tender and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, thick coating. Taste and adjust salt as needed.