Hong Shao Rou (or red braised pork belly) is one of the most beloved Chinese pork dishes. Because it looks quite traditional and complicated, some of you might say “I don’t think I can make it. It doesn’t seem so easy.” but don’t worry about it. As always, with me, it will be so simple and easy!
HONG SHAO ROU (5-6 servings)
Ingredients:
- 4 lb (1.8 kg) skin-on pork belly
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 large knob of ginger
- 2-3 green onions, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil (such as grape seeds, vegetable oil, etc.)
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 4 whole star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 6 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 5 cups (1,200ml) hot water
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 5-6 cups hot cooked rice, about 1 cup (210g) for each serving
- Sliced cucumber (or blanched baby bok choy), to serve
Instructions:
PREP INGREDIENTS
1. Cut the pork belly into large chunks, about 2-inches wide.
2. Crush the garlic cloves. Thinly slice some fresh ginger, about 5 slices (or 35 grams).
3. Roughly chop the green onions and thinly slice some for garnish.
MAKE HONG SHAO ROU
1. Bring a wok (or pot) of water to a boil. Carefully add in the pork belly. Blanch for 4 to 5 minutes to remove any impurities from the pork. Dump the water. Give it a quick rinse and drain.
2. In another large wok (or pan), add 2 tablespoons of neutral-tasting oil. Heat it over medium-high heat. Once it’s heated, add the pork pieces and get some sear on them for 10 minutes. (If your wok is not big enough for this, you can totally do this in two batches.)
3. Once they’re lightly golden brown and the fat has rendered out, reduce the heat to medium. Add the sugar. Give them a good stir for 2 minutes. (This is kind of a shortcut version of caramelizing the rock sugar, so make sure you keep stirring around and try to coat the outside of the pork.)
4. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir around for 1 minute. To that, add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir together for 3 minutes.
5. Transfer them into a pot with 5 cups (1,200ml) of hot water. Add the cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over medium-low for 80 minutes. Uncover and stir around for a few minutes until the sauce gets thicker and glossy.
(Since there’s too much fat in the liquid, it won’t evaporate all the way down and that’s okay. You just need to take the lid off and give it a good stir until the pork is nicely coated and the sauce gets thicker and glossy.)
6. Place them nicely over the rice and add some sliced cucumber. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
4 lb (1.8 kg) skin-on pork belly
3 cloves garlic
1 large knob of ginger
2-3 green onions, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil (such as grape seeds, vegetable oil, etc.)
3 tbsp white sugar
4 whole star anise
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
6 tbsp Shaoxing wine
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
5 cups (1,200ml) hot water
1 small cinnamon stick
5-6 cups hot cooked rice, about 1 cup (210g) for each serving
Sliced cucumber (or blanched baby bok choy), to serve
Directions
- Prep Ingredients
- Cut the pork belly into large chunks, about 2-inches wide. Crush the garlic cloves. Thinly slice some fresh ginger, about 5 slices (or 35 grams). Roughly chop the green onions and thinly slice some for garnish.
- Make Hong Shao Rou
- Bring a wok (or pot) of water to a boil. Carefully add in the pork belly. Blanch for 4 to 5 minutes to remove any impurities from the pork. Dump the water. Give it a quick rinse and drain.
- In another large wok (or pan), add 2 tablespoons of neutral-tasting oil. Heat it over medium-high heat. Once it’s heated, add the pork pieces and get some sear on them for 10 minutes. (If your wok is not big enough for this, you can totally do this in two batches.)
- Once they’re lightly golden brown and the fat has rendered out, reduce the heat to medium. Add the sugar. Give them a good stir for 2 minutes. (This is kind of a shortcut version of caramelizing the rock sugar, so make sure you keep stirring around and try to coat the outside of the pork.)
- Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir around for 1 minute. To that, add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir together for 3 minutes.
- Transfer them into a pot with 5 cups (1,200ml) of hot water. Add the cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over medium-low for 80 minutes. Uncover and stir around until the sauce gets thicker and glossy. (Since there’s too much fat in the liquid, it won’t evaporate all the way down and that’s okay. You just need to take the lid off and give it a good stir until the pork is nicely coated and the sauce gets thicker and glossy.)
- Place them nicely over the rice and add some sliced cucumber. Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 240 ml
