The HowTo NetworkFood

Red Braised Pork Belly

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
A savory bowl of braised pork with rice and vegetables on a wooden table.

Red braised pork relies on a slow simmer in a mixture of soy sauce, rock sugar, and aromatics to transform fatty pork belly into a gelatinous, deep-amber dish. The process requires patience to let the sauce reduce until it coats the meat in a glossy, sticky glaze.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Total time
2 hr 30 min
Hands-on
30 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

  • 2 lb pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 3 tbsp rock sugar
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 slices fresh ginger
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 cups hot water

Step by step

  1. Blanch the pork

    Place pork in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, cook for 3 minutes to remove impurities, then drain and rinse with cold water.

  2. Caramelize

    In a heavy pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the rock sugar over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and turns a dark bronze.

  3. Sear the meat

    Add the pork to the caramel. Toss quickly to coat every surface in the sugar. The meat will start to brown and release its own fat.

  4. Aromatize

    Add ginger, star anise, cinnamon, Shaoxing wine, and both types of soy sauce. Stir for one minute until the fragrance releases.

  5. Simmer

    Pour in hot water until just covering the meat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 90 minutes.

  6. Reduce

    Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces to a thick, syrupy glaze that clings to the pork.

Questions people ask

Can I use granulated sugar instead of rock sugar?

Yes, but rock sugar produces a cleaner, more translucent gloss on the meat that granulated sugar cannot match.

How do I know when the pork is finished?

The pork should be fork-tender, meaning a fork slides into the meat with zero resistance.

Tips

  • Use hot water when braising; cold water will tighten the meat fibers and make the pork tough.
  • If the sauce is not thickening enough at the end, turn the heat up slightly and stir constantly to prevent burning.
  • The fat rendered during the process is flavorful; skim only if the layer is excessive.

Variations

  • Hard Boiled Egg Addition: Add peeled, soft-boiled eggs into the pot during the last 20 minutes of simmering to soak up the sauce.