Chinese Red Braised Pork (Hong Shao Rou) (VIDEO)
Red Braised Pork or Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉) is a beloved dish in China and for good reason! The glossy pork belly is super tender, melt in your mouth delicious, and the savory, sweet sauce is so good, you'll be spooning extra over your rice!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs pork belly cut into 2" cubes
- 2 tbsp neutral oil I used avocado oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 star anise
- 2 inch ginger sliced
- 40g rock sugar 2-3" piece; sub 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2.5 cups water
Instructions
- Slice pork belly into 2" pieces and place in a pot of cold water. Bring to just before a boil to remove any impurities from the pork. Drain and remove any excess moisture from the pork with a paper towel.
- In a wok or heavy bottom pan (dutch oven works great), heat 2 tbsp neutral oil over medium high heat. Add pork and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pork has a golden brown color.
- Add sliced ginger, bay leaves, star anise and rock sugar to the pork and cook for 1 minute to let the spices infuse.
- To your pork and spices, add 2.5 cups of water along with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil and cover over low heat.
- Stirring occasionally to ensure sauce does not burn, simmer for 1 hour or until sauce has become thick and caramel-like and pork is tender.
- Serve immediately over hot rice and spoon over extra sauce.
Notes
IF THE SAUCE ISN'T REDUCING..
If you find that the sauce isn't reducing to a thick glaze, I would recommend you uncover and let it simmer. It may take a little bit longer to reduce due to higher water content in your specific piece of pork belly. SIMMER ON LOW
You want to avoid burning the sauce, since it contains sugar. Make sure you are simmering on low and stir occasionally to ensure it's not burning!
If you find that the sauce isn't reducing to a thick glaze, I would recommend you uncover and let it simmer. It may take a little bit longer to reduce due to higher water content in your specific piece of pork belly. SIMMER ON LOW
You want to avoid burning the sauce, since it contains sugar. Make sure you are simmering on low and stir occasionally to ensure it's not burning!
Nutrition
Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 90g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 42g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg