Red-braised pork belly
Hong shao rou is pork belly slowly braised with soy sauce, ginger and caramel. Gentle simmering makes the meat tender and reduces the sauce to a thick, glossy coating.
How to make it
Prepared 0 of 6 steps
Prepare the pork belly
Cut the pork belly into large cubes about 4 cm, keeping the layers of meat and fat together. Slice the ginger into thick slices, tie the green onion into a small bunch. Prepare a heavy pot with a lid.
Blanch the meat
Cover the pork belly with cold water for blanching, bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes. Discard the water, rinse the meat and pat dry. Clean the foam from the pan before making the caramel.
Melt the sugar
Heat the oil and sugar over a medium heat, gently swirling the pan until the sugar melts and turns amber. Take the pan off the heat for a few seconds: very dark caramel will taste bitter.
Add the seasonings
Place the dried pork belly in the caramel and gently turn it over. Pour in the wine, both soy sauces and 700 ml of hot water. Add ginger, green onion, star anise and cinnamon, bring to a gentle boil.
Braise until tender
Cover with a lid leaving a small gap, and braise on low heat for 75–90 minutes. Turn the pieces several times. The cooked meat should be easily pierced; strong boiling will destroy the cube shape.
Reduce the sauce
Remove ginger, green onion, star anise and cinnamon. Take off the lid and reduce the sauce for 5–10 minutes until glossy, carefully basting the meat. Stop before complete evaporation: the sauce will thicken slightly after being removed from heat.
Little hint
Use pork belly with alternating layers of fat and meat. Watch the caramel and the final reduction closely: these are the points when the sauce is most likely to scorch.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch out for when cooking?
Use pork belly with alternating layers of fat and meat. Watch the caramel and the final reduction closely: these are the points when the sauce is most likely to scorch.
How should I prepare the ingredients?
Cut the pork belly into large cubes about 4 cm, keeping the layers of meat and fat together. Slice the ginger into thick slices, tie the green onion into a small bunch. Prepare a heavy pot with a lid.
