Everyday Kitchen

Chinese · Dinner

Red-Braised Pork Belly

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Red-Braised Pork Belly is a Chinese dish. Reduce the sauce only after pork is tender.

Prep
15 min
Cook
100 min
Total
115 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Chinese
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Red-Braised Pork Belly.
Representative photograph of Red-Braised Pork Belly. Garnishes and presentation may differ. This is not a tested result of this draft. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Pork

Braise

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Blanch · About 5 min

  1. Boil 700 g pork belly, cut into 3 cm cubes, 1500 ml water for 5 minutes; drain.

Brown · About 5 min

  1. Heat oil and sugar from 20 g sugar, 15 ml neutral oil, 40 ml light soy sauce, 15 ml dark soy sauce, 40 ml Shaoxing wine, 500 ml water, 20 g ginger, sliced, 2 star anise until amber. Carefully add pork and stir. Add remaining braise ingredients.

    Check: Look for this result: amber.

Braise · About 90 min

  1. Cover and simmer gently 80–90 minutes until fork-tender; add hot water if nearly dry. Uncover and reduce sauce 5 minutes. Remove star anise.

    Check: Look for this result: fork-tender; add hot water if nearly dry.

Tips

  • Reduce the sauce only after pork is tender.
  • Use the texture and doneness checks in the method; cooking times depend on your pan and heat.

Substitutions

  • Use skinless pork shoulder for a less rich version.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.
  • For sauces and soups, add a little water if thick and reheat gently. Crisp coatings soften after storage.

Make ahead

  • Cook Red-Braised Pork Belly one day ahead. Cool in shallow portions, refrigerate promptly and reheat gently to 74°C / 165°F. Add fresh herbs or crisp toppings after reheating.

FAQ

What matters most when making Red-Braised Pork Belly?

Reduce the sauce only after pork is tender.

What can I substitute in Red-Braised Pork Belly?

Use skinless pork shoulder for a less rich version.

Can I prepare Red-Braised Pork Belly ahead?

Cook Red-Braised Pork Belly one day ahead. Cool in shallow portions, refrigerate promptly and reheat gently to 74°C / 165°F. Add fresh herbs or crisp toppings after reheating.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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