Red-cooked pork belly

1. 1

   Blanch the pork belly: bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pork belly, and cook for 3-4 minutes to remove excess fat.

   4 min

2. 2

   Remove the pork, drain, let cool, and cut into bite-sized chunks.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and brown the pork pieces in batches. Remove the browned meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. 4

   Drain off the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the sugar and stir for a few minutes until it melts and caramelises into a pale brown color.

5. 5

   Pour in the chicken stock and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the star anise, cinnamon (or cassia bark), bruised ginger, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce.

6. 6

   Return the pork to the pot (the liquid should just cover the meat; add a little water if needed) and add a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 1.5 hours.

   90 min

7. 7

   Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for the last 30 minutes so the sauce reduces and thickens, and the pork becomes meltingly tender.

   30 min

8. 8

   Slice the spring onions diagonally into 5 cm lengths, add to the pot, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

   5 min

9. 9

   Serve the red-cooked pork in bowls alongside boiled white rice.

1 serving ≈ 250 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.