Red Braised Pork Belly

Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉)

Salty, succulent pork belly with just a hint of sweetness and a burst of aromatic star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Sichuan pepper adds a tingly regional twist on this Chinese classic.

Red Braised Pork Belly (aka Hong Shao Rou) is one of the most famous dishes in China. In fact, it's not exclusive to Sichuan, but is found throughout the mainland, both in restaurants and in homes. Best of all, this dish is extremely easy to make, though it will take quite some time to cook. It's a great dish to prepare early in the day and is easy to prepare alongside more complex dishes that require a lot of focus. However, avoid serving this dish alongside extremely oily or fatty foods, as the flavor of Red Braised Pork Belly is quite rich and filling. Most likely guests will only eat a few pieces at a time, which is normal.

Red Braised Pork Belly is great with rice because the excess sauce from the meat gives the rice a delicious, complex flavor. Hong Shao Rou can also be added atop spicy soup noodles as in this recipe for Red Braised Pork Noodles (红烧肉面). The combination of spicy noodles and rich pork belly is extremely satisfying. However, when cutting the Hong Shao Rou to accompany noodles - whether as a side or as a topping - I suggest cutting the pork belly into slightly smaller pieces than normal. One-inch by one-inch cubes that are roughly an inch and half long seems to work great.

(The size into which the Pork Belly is cut is a matter of personal choice; there is a somewhat standard size, but this seems to vary greatly. I've even seen the Pork Belly cut into 4 large squares each about three-inches by three-inches. Red Braised Pork Belly is not commonly added to noodles in Sichuan, but it is a common addition to Noodles in other provinces).

If this is your first-time cooking Pork Belly, it might be helpful to note the different cuts. Pork Belly can essentially be divided into three basic regions: the lean cut, the center cut, and the fatty cut. While any cut of Pork Belly can be used, the best, in my opinion, is the center cut. This is because it has multiple layers of fat and meat. It’s also usually the perfect thickness. The lean cut will have a thick meat layer and a thick fat layer, but the fat isn’t evenly dispersed. Contrarily, the fatty cut usually will have more fat distribution but will often be too fatty and rather thick.

(The thickness, actually, is not a major issue, but is more of an aesthetic choice. Even a relatively thick cut of pork belly will turn out great with this recipe).

Since this is such a popular dish in China, there are naturally numerous variations, and this is sometimes regional. For instance, Red Braised Pork Belly in Sichuan is generally less sweet than Red Braised Pork Belly from Northern and Eastern China. Sichuan-style Red Braised Pork Belly usually has more of a gravy, whereas Red Braised Pork Belly in other regions has more of a glaze. Naturally, the level of sweetness can be controlled by adjusting the type and amount of sugar. Red Braised Pork Belly can be made using only White Sugar or a combination of White and Brown Sugar.

Aside from the sweetness and seasonings, another important aspect is the richness. Traditionally, this richness is achieved with Shaoxing Rice Wine and Chicken Stock. They work together enriching the sauce, tenderizing the meat, and pulling flavor from the spices. Beer can also be used to replace the Shaoxing Rice Wine and Chicken Stock as it will also extract flavor from the Aromatics and add a savory alcoholic flavor.

(Pork Bone Stock can also be used instead of Chicken Stock, and the amount of Shaoxing Rice Wine can be increased to suit one’s preference. For Red Braised Pork Noodles, it’s usually best to use the more traditional flavors of Stock and Shaoxing Rice Wine. Eggs are usually not cooked with Red Braised Pork Belly when making it for Noodles).

For more information on Red Braised Dishes, check out the following article: The Ultimate Guide to Red Braised and Stewed Dishes.

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min

Total Time: 1 hr 40 min

Serving: 4 people

Ingredients

500 grams of Pork Belly with Skin (Preferably a 4.5-inch to 6-inch Square Block)

Boiling Ingredients
1/4 cup of Shaoxing Rice Wine
2 green stalks of Scallion (Tied in a Knot)
1 2-inch block of Ginger (Smashed)

4 Chicken Eggs (Optional; OR 8 Quail Eggs)

Spices
2 Star Anise
2 3-inch-long sticks of Cassia Bark
2 Bay Leaves
1 2-inch block of Ginger (Sliced)
1/2 tsp. Green Sichuan Peppercorns

Peanut Oil

Sauces
2 Tbsp. Red Colored Syrup (糖色)
1 tsp. Light Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp. Dark Soy Sauce

1 can (500 ml) of Beer OR 500 ml. of Chicken Stock mixed with 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing Rice Wine
1 3/4 cup (400 ml) Water

Seasonings
1 tsp. White Sugar (This can be increased to 1 Tbsp. for a sweeter version)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground White Pepper

1 green Scallion Stalk (Tied in a Knot)

Directions

1.) Wash off the Pork Belly, pat it dry with paper towels, and set it aside in a large bowl.

2.) Heat a wok on high until super-hot. Place the Pork Belly in the wok skin-side down. Sear the Pork Belly skin until charred and blackened, pushing the skin down evenly onto the surface of the wok.

(Only sear the skin! Using the wok to char the skin is a traditional method; however, most chefs nowadays will use a kitchen torch which allows them to char the skin quicker and more evenly).

3.) Place the Pork Belly in a large bowl filled with clean water. Using steel wool or a coarse rag, wash the skin of the Pork Belly scrapping away all the charred skin.

(This process of removing the outer layer of skin is extremely important and often skipped by less professional chefs. The outer layer of skin will be a bit tough with a slight bitterness, so removing this layer will greatly improve the quality of the dish in terms of flavor and texture).

4.) Place the cleaned Pork Belly (skin-side up) in a large pot filled with 3 Liters of water and add all of the Boiling Ingredients (Rice Wine, Scallion, and Ginger). Heat the wok on high, set a timer for 15 minutes, and bring the water to a boil. While the water heats, remove any scum that floats to the surface so that once the water reaches a rapid boil, the water is clear.

(Boiling the Pork Belly will remove a lot of the blood and impurities, giving the dish better flavor. It will also reduce oil splatter later when frying).

5.) After the 15 minutes have elapsed, remove the Pork Belly from the boiling water and set it aside to cool in a bowl of clean water.

(Allow the Pork Belly to cool completely before cutting it! While it cools, clean out the wok for later frying and prepare the other ingredients).

6.) Wash off the Eggs and set them aside in their own bowl. Place all of the Spices (Star Anise, Cassia Bark, Bay Leaves, Ginger, and Sichuan Peppercorns) together in their own bowl.

7.) Once the Pork Belly has cooled, remove it from the water, pat it dry once more, and place it skin-side up on a cutting board. Cut the Pork Belly into even strips, each about 1 to 2-inches thick.

(Thickness is a matter of personal preference, but I prefer to cut the strips about 1.5-inches-thick. This will usually cut the block of Pork Belly into 3 even strips).

8.) Rotate one of these strips with the skin-side facing you, laying the strip flat upon the cutting board. Cut this strip into small blocks or cubes that are about 1 to 2-inches thick. Then, repeat with the remaining strips of Pork Belly, setting the cubes aside in a dry bowl.

(My preference is to cut the Pork Belly into 1.5-inch by 1.5-inch cubes creating perfectly square tops. However, when making Red Braised Pork as a topping for noodles or rice, I usually cut the Pork Belly into smaller cubes – around 1-inch by 1-inch).

8.) Begin preparing the Aromatics by peeling and slicing the Ginger. Place it in a bowl along with the Star Anise, Cassia Bark, Bay Leaves, and Sichuan Pepper.

9.) Season the Wok: Heat a wok on medium-high heat until hot and then add a few tablespoons of Oil. Swirl the Oil around to coat the bottom and sides of the wok, heat the Oil until smoking, and then discard the Oil.

10.) Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cubes of Pork Belly, and stir-fry them for 6 minutes to render out their excess fat. After 6 minutes, drain the rendered fat and oil, and set the Pork Belly aside.

(This step will render out the excess fat making the finished Red Braised Pork Belly less greasy and oily.)

11.) Add 1/4 cup of Peanut Oil to the wok and heat on medium-high until nearly smoking. Remove the wok from heat and add the Spices, stir-frying them just a few seconds until fragrant.

12.) Add the cubes of Pork Belly, return the wok to heat, and stir-fry them with the Spices for about 30 seconds. Pull the wok away from heat, splash the Sauces (Red Colored Syrup, Light Soy Sauce, and Dark Soy Sauce) around the sides of the wok, and toss the Pork Belly until coated by the bright reddish-brown color.

13.) Return the wok to heat and pour in 500 ml of Beer and about 400 ml of Water. Increase the heat to high and bring the Red-Braising Sauce to a boil.

(Use a combination of Shaoxing Rice Wine and Stock instead of Beer for a more classic version or when making the Red Braised Pork Belly for Noodles. The amount of Water added at this stage can be increased if planning on slow-cooking the Red Braised Pork Belly).

14.) When the Red-Braising Sauce is boiling, add the Seasonings (White Sugar, Salt, and White Pepper) along with the Scallion. Mix these thoroughly with the Pork Belly, reduce the heat to medium-low, and finally add the Eggs. Simmer everything for 50 minutes until the Red-Braising Sauce has reduced considerably.

15.) Remove the Eggs and set them aside to cool. Also, remove and discard the Scallion and any large Spices while the Eggs are cooling. Once the Eggs have cooled, peel them and place them in the serving dish.

(Run the shells under cold water or plunge them into an ice bath to peel them more quickly).

16.) Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook the Pork Belly, stirring with ever increasing frequency for about 10 minutes until the Red-Braising Sauce has become thick and syrup-like.

(This final step can be postponed and instead, slightly more water can be added. By doing this, the Pork Belly can be slow-cooked for several hours until the desired texture and tenderness is achieved).

17.) Plate the Red Braised Pork Belly on top of the Eggs, optionally garnish with finely sliced Scallion, and serve alongside bowls of white rice.

 

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