Shanghai-Style Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)

Method9 steps · about 1 hr 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Cut the lean (1½ lb), skin-on pork belly into pieces about ¾ inch thick. Put them in a medium pot and cover with the separate blanching water. Bring to a boil, then boil for about 1 minute, just until the outside turns opaque. Lift out the pork, briefly rinse it with clean water and drain well. Discard the blanching and rinse waters and clean the pot; the pork is only partly cooked at this point, so continue directly with the braise.

   Briefly blanch the pork · 1 minUses 1½ lb lean, skin-on pork belly · Water, enough to cover the pork for blanching · Clean water, for briefly rinsing the blanched pork

   
2. 2

   Step 2: In a clean wok over low heat, add the 2 tbsp canola oil and 2 tbsp rock sugar. Stir and melt the sugar, watching carefully so it does not burn.

   Uses 2 tbsp canola oil · 2 tbsp rock sugar

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Add the drained blanched pork from step 1 to the melted sugar and oil from step 2. Raise the heat to medium and cook, turning the pieces, until lightly browned.

   Uses Pork lifted and drained from its discarded blanching water · Melted rock sugar and oil

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Reduce the heat to low and add the ⅓ cup Shaoxing wine to the pork and oil-sugar mixture from step 3. Cook for about 2 minutes to infuse the pork with the wine flavor.

   Uses Lightly browned pork with sugar and oil · ⅓ cup Shaoxing wine

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the 2 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 3 cups braising water to the wok from step 4. The water should mostly cover the pork. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover, adjusting medium heat as needed to maintain the simmer.

   Uses Pork and wine in the wok · 2 tablespoons soy sauce · 1 tbsp dark soy sauce · 3 cups water, for the wok braise

6. 6

   Step 6: At a steady gentle simmer, begin the covered braise. Stir after the first 5 minutes, checking that the pork is not sticking and the wok is not becoming dry. Add a little of the top-up water only if needed. The full braising guide is about 45–60 minutes from the start of this phase.

   First braising stir · 5 minUses Covered pork-and-soy braise · Water, as needed if the braise becomes dry

7. 7

   Step 7: Continue the covered gentle simmer, stirring and checking every 5–10 minutes and adding water only if needed. Repeat these checks until the total braising time is about 45–60 minutes and the pork is fork-tender and fully cooked, reaching at least 63°C. Continue longer if necessary; move to step 8 only when the pork is tender.

   Next braising stir · 5 minUses Pork-and-soy braise after the first stir · Water, as needed if the braise becomes dry

8. 8

   Step 8: Once the pork from step 7 is fork-tender, check the sauce. If a lot of liquid remains, uncover the wok, raise the heat and stir continuously until the sauce reduces to a glossy coating around the pork. If already coated, stop heating rather than drying it out.

   Uses Fork-tender pork with its braising sauce

9. 9

   Step 9: After the pork has reached at least 63°C, take the wok off the heat and rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. Serve the coated pork with its sauce. This makes eight small portions as part of a larger meal, or about 4–6 portions when it is the main dish.

   Rest the cooked pork · 3 minUses Finished glazed pork belly and sauce