Cooking Lucid
Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)
Mao Zedong's favorite dish — pork belly slow-braised in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and rock sugar until meltingly tender and lacquered red. The pinnacle of Chinese home cooking.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1h 30m
Total 1h 45m
Serves 6
Ingredients
Step 1 — Prep the pork
- 2 lbs pork belly (cut into 1.5-inch cubes)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp rock sugar (or brown sugar)
- 4 slices ginger
- 3 green onions (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 2 star anise
Step 2 — Braise
- ¼ cup Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Step 3 — Serve
- Steamed white rice
- Blanched bok choy
Instructions
- 1
Blanch and caramelize
Blanch pork belly in boiling water 3 minutes, drain and rinse. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add rock sugar and melt until amber. Add pork belly and stir to coat in caramel.
- 2
Braise until tender
Add ginger, green onions, and star anise. Pour in Shaoxing wine, soy sauces, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 75–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is fork-tender and sauce is thick and glossy.
- 3
Serve
Skim excess fat if desired. Serve pork and sauce over steamed rice with blanched bok choy on the side.
Nutrition per serving: 580 cal · 20g protein · 12g carbs · 50g fat · 0g fiber
For informational purposes only. Not medical or dietary advice. Verify ingredients for allergens, cooking times, and safe internal temperatures before serving.
