China / Bread
Hongshao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)
Hongshao rou (lit. red-cooked meat) is a traditional Chinese pork dish. It is a very popular homemade dish, but it is rarely found in Western restaurants. Often a family's exact recipe is a secret and passed down the generations. It consists of pork belly in a thick, sweet, dark sauce, simmered for a long time to soften the normally tough meat. Frequently other meats such as tripe or beef tendon are used in addition to the pork.
Ingredients
- pork belly, cubed700 g
- vegetable oil3 tbsp
- white sugar, white2 tbsp
- pork stock, or chicken stock350 ml
- minced ginger, minced1 tbsp
- dark soy sauce2 tbsp
- Shaoxing rice wine50 ml
- star anise3 pod
- spring onions, small; sliced4
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 8 steps
In a medium saucepan, over high heat, heat the oil and sugar together until the sugar melts and turns brown.
Add the cubed pork to the sugar and oil and brown all over.
Reduce the heat, add the stock, ginger, star anise, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine to the pan.
Cover tightly and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it burning at the bottom.
Remove the lid and add the spring onions.
Boil the sauce until only a thick, dark gravy is left.
The dish may be served now, but if possible, refrigerate for a day to allow the flavours to develop.
Serve with rice, garnish with sliced spring onion.
