Chinese Braised Pork Belly, aka Hong Shao Rou, is a sweet and savoury stew that's perfect served over white rice. Melt-in-your-mouth chunks of pork belly are braised in a glossy caramelized sauce. Five spice powder adds that extra bit of oomph to take it to the next level!
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A Shanghainese Classic
This is Kevin’s favourite way to eat pork belly, and can you blame him? He grew up near Shanghai, and hong shao rou (literally means red braised pork) is PEAK Shanghai cuisine. That area of China is known for having a sweeter tooth than the rest of China. This dish satisfies their love of sweet and salty in a truly irresistible combination!
Ingredients + Substitutions
A few important notes on some of the ingredients used in this Chinese Braised Pork Belly recipe:
Pork Belly: You can use skin-on pork belly or have the skin removed. Either works for this recipe. Slice it small bite-sized cubes.
Tip: If you’ve got a little bit of pork belly left over after making this recipe, you can use the rest to cook Sichuan Dry Pot Cauliflower to serve as a side.
Rock Sugar: This is what creates the delicious caramelized sauce that gives hong shao rou its glossy sheen. This is the brand I use. Or see the recipe card for a substitution option with brown sugar.
Scallions, Garlic and Ginger: These three ingredients are like the mirepoix of Chinese aromatics.
Soy Sauces: Chinese cuisine has two main types of soy sauce: light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce actually tastes stronger than dark soy sauce but dark soy sauce gives colour to the dish. Many Chinese dishes, such as Black Pepper Chicken and this recipe, use both. But you can omit the dark soy sauce if you don’t have it. Just add a bit more soy sauce to taste.
Five Spice Powder: Chinese five spice is a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and cloves. It adds a really special note of complexity to dishes. You can leave it out if you don’t have it, though.
Quail Eggs and Tofu Knots: All optional. These are less common, but still popular, additions to Chinese braised pork belly. They’re a good way to add different textures and to lighten up the pork belly a bit. (Because let’s face it—just a few bites of pork belly and you’ll be full!)
See recipe card for quantities.
Directions
Step 1. Bring water to a boil in a small stockpot. Add pork belly, scallions, and ginger slices. Blanch the pork belly for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Step 2. Add the quail eggs to the same boiling water and boil them for 3 minutes. Drain the quail eggs. Once they’re cool enough to touch, peel them.
Step 3. Heat oil in a wok on medium heat. Add the rock sugar and swirl it around. As it melts and caramelizes, break it up with the spatula until it starts to melt into the oil.
Step 4. Add the pork belly pieces to the oil-sugar mixture and fry until lightly caramelized. (Prepare for a fair bit of sizzling and splashing, so a splatter screen is helpful here.)
Step 5. Throw in the garlic, then pour in wine and swirl it around with your spatula as it bubbles and simmers.
Step 6. Pour in the water, soy sauces, and five spice powder. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 7. Halfway through cooking, add the tofu knots, frozen tofu, and quail eggs (all optional).
Step 8. Stir the pork belly every five minutes, adding more water if it begins to look dry, until pork belly is tender.
Hint: The end result should have the reddish brown sauce clinging to the pork belly.
Storage Tips
Hong Shao Rou is best enjoyed when hot and fresh. But here’s a few tips on storing leftovers:
Fridge: Leftover hong shao rou can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezer: Freeze braised pork belly for up to three months.
More Recipes with Five Spice
Looking for other recipes that use Chinese five spice powder? How about:
What to Serve with Braised Pork Belly
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Hong Shao Rou recipe:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating or comment below to give me feedback and help out other readers.
Recipe Card
Chinese Braised Pork Belly with Five Spices
Equipment
- Small stockpot
- Wok
- Metal spatula
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 ounces pork belly sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 green onions sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 inch sliced ginger
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2-inch piece of rock sugar or 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic *optional
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine *can substitute with rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 ½ tablespoon light soy sauce see Note 1
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder see Note 2
- 2 cups water
- 8 quail eggs *optional
- 1 cup tofu knots, aka baiyejie *optional
- 1 cup frozen tofu *optional
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a small stockpot. Add 12 to 16 ounces pork belly, 2 green onions, and 1 inch sliced ginger. Blanch the pork belly for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- Add 8 quail eggs to the same boiling water and boil them for 3 minutes. Drain the quail eggs. Once they’re cool enough to touch, peel them.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok on medium heat. Add the 2-inch piece of rock sugar and swirl it around. As it melts and caramelizes, break it up with the spatula until it starts to melt into the oil.
- Add the pork belly pieces to the oil-sugar mixture and fry until lightly caramelized. (Prepare for a fair bit of sizzling and splashing, so a splatter screen is helpful here.)
- Throw in 3 cloves garlic, then pour in 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine and swirl it around with your spatula as it bubbles and simmers.
- Pour in 1 ½ tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon five spice powder, and 2 cups water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes. Halfway through cooking, add the 1 cup tofu knots, aka baiyejie, 1 cup frozen tofu, and quail eggs.
- Check on the pork belly and stir every five minutes, adding more water if it begins to look dry. It's done when the pork belly is super tender and the sauce is thickened and clinging to the chunks.
Notes
- Five spice powder: Chinese five spice is a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and cloves. You can add more if you prefer a stronger taste.
- Quail eggs, tofu knots, and frozen tofu are less common, but still popular, additions to this dish. They’re a good way to add different textures and to lighten up the pork belly a bit. (Because let’s face it—just a few bites of pork belly and you’ll be full!)
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