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A classic, melt-in-your-mouth Chinese comfort dish featuring tender cubes of skin-on pork belly coated in a sticky, sweet, and savory caramelized sauce. This recipe uses traditional techniques like blanching to purify the meat and caramelizing rock sugar to achieve a beautiful, rich mahogany color.
Ingredients
Pork and Blanching
- 1.5 lbs Skin-on pork belly — Cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 slices Fresh ginger — For blanching water
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine — For blanching water
Braising Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil — Peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Yellow rock sugar — Crushed into small pieces; substitute granulated sugar if unavailable
- 4 slices Fresh ginger — About 1/8 inch thick
- 2 whole Scallions — Cut into 2-inch lengths
- 2 whole Star anise
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine — Chinese rice wine
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce — Crucial for color
- 3 cups Hot water — Enough to cover the pork
Instructions
-
Place the pork belly cubes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add 3 slices of ginger and 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Skim off any foam. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon, rinse under warm water, and pat completely dry with paper towels.
~10 minPatting the pork completely dry is crucial to prevent oil splatters in the next steps. -
Heat a wok or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pork belly pieces (without extra oil) and pan-fry them until they release some of their fat and are lightly browned on all sides. Remove the pork and pour out any excess rendered fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan (or add 1 tbsp oil if the pork was very lean).
~8 minThis step renders out excess fat, making the final dish rich but not greasy. -
Turn the heat to low. Add the rock sugar to the residual oil/fat. Stir continuously until the sugar melts, turns a deep amber/reddish-brown color, and begins to form small bubbles.
~4 minWatch carefully! Sugar burns very quickly once it changes color. This technique (chao tang se) gives the dish its signature ruby-red hue. -
Immediately return the pork belly to the wok and stir briskly to coat the meat in the caramelized sugar. Be careful, as it may splatter.
~2 min -
Add the ginger slices, scallions, and star anise. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir well to combine.
~3 min -
Pour in enough hot water to just cover the pork (about 3 cups). Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the wok or pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 60 to 75 minutes.
~75 minAlways use hot water when adding liquid to hot meat to prevent the meat fibers from seizing up and becoming tough. -
After simmering, the pork should be fork-tender. Remove the lid, pick out the scallions, ginger, and star anise if desired, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the sauce reduce, stirring frequently, until it becomes thick, glossy, and coats the pork completely.
~10 minDo not walk away during this final reduction step; the high sugar content means the sauce can go from perfectly sticky to burnt in seconds.
Nutrition
Equipment
- Wok or Dutch oven
- Medium pot (for blanching)
- Slotted spoon
- Paper towels
Tips & Storage
- Look for pork belly with a good ratio of fat to lean meat, ideally 50/50, with the skin intact for the best gelatinous texture.
- Rock sugar gives a glossier finish than granulated sugar, but granulated can be used in a pinch.
- Serve with steamed white rice to soak up the rich, savory-sweet sauce, and a side of blanched bok choy to cut the richness.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce will solidify due to the gelatin from the pork skin. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed, or microwave until hot.
Tags
🤖 This recipe was created with AI assistance. If you spot a mistake or something that doesn't look right, please report it.
