Red Braised Pork Belly (红烧肉)
The Chinese-Style braised pork belly (aka. 红烧肉 or Hong Shao Rou) is a must-have dish during holidays and dinner party.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1.5 pounds of skin-on pork belly
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 scallions (white part only)
- 3 large slices of ginger
- 1 large or 2 medium rock sugar pieces (can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of regular sugar)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Cooking wine (can be substituted with rice cooking wine
- sake
- or dry white wine) 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 anise stars About 2 cups of water
- 6 eggs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat dry the ski-on pork belly with paper towel. Then cut the pork belly into 1 ¼ inch (about 3cm) pieces.
- 2
Heat the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet (or a shallow pan) over medium-high heat. When the oil is getting hot, add the pork belly pieces. Arrange them into one layer in the skillet. Do not overcrowd.
- 3
Sear all sides of the pork belly pieces. It takes about 2-3 minutes for each side to brown. Use a splatter screen to prevent oil from popping all over the place.
- 4
When all the pork belly pieces are nicely seared, take them out and place onto a plate.
- 5
Heat the 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is getting hot, add the white part of the scallions and ginger slices, then toss and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add back the browned pork belly pieces.
- 6
Add the rock sugar, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Cooking wine, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 anise stars. Then add enough water to barely cover the pork belly pieces. Gently mix everything, then cover the lid.
- 7
When the liquid starts boiling, reduce the heat to low to main a simmering state. Close the lid and let it slowly cook for 1 hour. Check every 15 minutes to make sure it’s kept at a simmer and gently stir the liquid to make sure the pork belly is evenly coated.
- 8
While the pork belly is being braised, make 6 boiled eggs: Put the eggs in a medium sauce pan and submerge them in cold water. Close the lid and turn the heat to medium-high. When the water starts boiling, start a 3 minute timer and continue boiling the eggs. When the 3 minutes is up, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the pot, with the covered lid and hot water, for another 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, take the eggs out and submerge them in icy-cold water to cool completely. Then carefully peel off the shell and set the peeled eggs aside.
- 9
When the pork belly has been braised for 1 hour, add the peeled eggs and turn the heat to medium. When the liquid boils again, turn the heat to low to maintain a simmering state again. Close the lid and let it simmer for another 30 minutes.
- 10
When the time is up, transfer some of the pork belly pieces and the eggs along with the juice to a large bowl. Pair them with rice and enjoy!