Chinese Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)

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This tender and juicy Chinese Braised Pork Belly (also called Hong Shao Rou) is melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a thick and sticky sauce that’s both sweet and savory! Serve it with steamed rice and some veggies for a delicious weeknight meal!

You guys, this braised pork belly is slow cooked to perfection with a flavorful braising liquid that turns into the most amazing sauce! 

The pork belly is browned in melted sugar before being braised and then simmered so it absorbs all the delicious flavor and the edges get slightly caramelized! 

If you haven’t cooked pork belly yet, you’re missing out! When cooked right, it’s rich, tender and juicy. It really has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. 

This sous vide pork belly is one of our favorites, and so is this Japanese pork belly. Both are perfect additions to ramen!

If tacos are more your thing, you should definitely try these crispy pork belly tacos, and for a delicious appetizer, I highly recommend these Chinese BBQ pork belly bites! 

But first, let’s make this Shanghai-style braised pork belly!

Check out the Chinese braised pork belly story!

What is Hong Shao Rou?

Hong Shao Rou, or Chinese braised pork belly, is a classic Chinese dish of pork belly that’s braised with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and spices.

Cooking pork in this way is also referred to as red braised pork or red cooked pork as the mix of ingredients creates a reddish-brown colored sauce.

Why this recipe works

1. Cutting the pork belly into small pieces helps it get tender quickly so you don’t need to braise it for hours.
2. The braising liquid/sauce is super easy to make, with a short list of ingredients, and has incredible flavor!
3. Browning the pork pieces in melted sugar helps to caramelize the pork and adds a glossy shine to the sauce.
4. It stores well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make this pork dish in advance for easy lunches or dinners.

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

You’ll need 1 pound of pork belly for this recipe, cut into 2-inch pieces. I like to buy center cut pork belly and I recommend trying to get the meatiest piece possible. 

Pork belly has a very high fat content. The fat adds taste and texture, but a good ratio of meat to fat will ensure this dish isn’t too greasy.

The pork belly is browned in 2 tablespoons of sugar that has been melted. You’ll want to use granulated sugar for this, but cane sugar can also be used. (You can also use rock sugar, which is more traditional for this recipe).

A key ingredient for the braising liquid is ¼ cup of Shaoxing wine, which is a Chinese cooking wine that helps keep the pork tender. 

Since it has a distinct taste and is an important ingredient in Chinese cuisine, I don’t recommend substituting it. But, if you absolutely can’t find it, you can substitute it with dry sherry.

Soy sauce is also a key ingredient in this recipe and we’re using two types - regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce. 

As the name suggests, dark soy sauce is darker than regular, and it’s also thicker and sweeter. I don’t recommend substituting it with regular soy sauce. You not only want it for flavor, but also to help add that distinct reddish-brown color to the pork belly sauce.

For the spice, you’ll need ¼ inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced, as well as 2 star anise. While I don’t recommend substituting for the star anise (which adds a unique licorice flavor), you can substitute ginger paste for the fresh ginger.

Step by step instructions

Place the pork belly in a boiling pot of water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse well to remove impurities.

Heat the sugar in a large pot or wok over medium-low heat until it starts to melt.

Turn the heat to medium and add the pork belly.

Brown the pork on all sides in the sugar, being careful not to burn it. (If it starts to burn, turn the heat down and add the Shaoxing wine).

Add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauces, ginger and anise to the pot with the 2 cups of water (enough to cover the pork belly).

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, checking periodically to ensure it doesn't burn.

Uncover and continue to simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the pork belly is tender.

Garnish with green onions and serve over rice.

Expert tips

1. For even cooking, make sure you cut the pork belly into roughly the same size pieces (about 2-inches).
2. If you cut the pork belly into larger pieces, it will take longer to cook and get tender.
3. I don’t recommend skipping the step of blanching the pork belly pieces for a few minutes. This helps get rid of any impurities.
4. When browning the pork in the melted sugar, make sure the sugar doesn’t start to burn. If it does, turn down the heat and add the wine.
5. Similarly, as the pork belly simmers for an hour, you’ll want to check on it occasionally to ensure it isn’t burning.
6. For maximum flavor, make sure the pork belly is well coated in the braising liquid as it starts to cook. To ensure this, you need to add enough water to cover the pork.
7. To ensure the braising liquid thickens into a sauce you’ll need to uncover the pork and let it simmer until the braising liquid is reduced.
8. You can double the recipe, but you’ll need to make sure you have a large enough pot or wok to brown the pork belly without overcrowding it. Or, brown it in two batches.

Common questions

Storage instructions

This braised pork belly can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze it in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months.

To reheat, warm over low heat on the stove top until heated through. You may need to add a little water since the sauce is thick. If your pork is frozen, you’ll need to defrost it first before reheating.

Other Chinese inspired recipes

• Chinese Fried Rice
• Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)
• Shanghai Chicken
• Air Fryer Orange Chicken 
• Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it turned out!