Braised Pork Belly
Tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly braised in a rich, savory sauce with aromatic spices.
20 mins
Prep Time
2 hours
Cook Time
4
Servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs pork belly, cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, sliced
- 2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Nutrition Facts
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Instructions
Blanch the pork belly: In a pot of boiling water, blanch pork belly slices for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and set aside.
Sear the pork: Heat oil in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat. Sear pork belly slices until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Saute aromatics: In the same pan, saute garlic, ginger, and green onions until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Combine ingredients: Return pork to the pan. Add soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, sugar, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Pour in water or stock.
Braise the pork: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours until pork is tender.
Reduce sauce: Uncover and increase heat to medium. Let sauce reduce and thicken for about 10 minutes, basting pork occasionally.
Serve: Transfer to a serving plate, spoon sauce over the pork, and garnish with additional green onions if desired.
Chef's Tips
- For extra flavor, marinate the pork belly in the soy sauce mixture for 30 minutes before cooking.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and stir into the sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- For a crispier texture, after braising, you can broil the pork belly for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- This dish tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to develop. Reheat gently before serving.
- Serve with steamed rice and blanched vegetables for a complete meal.
