Chinese Cuisine

Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)

Name: Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Total time: 105 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 750 g skin-on pork belly, cut into 3 cm cubes; 40 g rock sugar (or 30 g granulated sugar); 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 30 ml Shaoxing wine; 30 ml light soy sauce; 15 ml dark soy sauce; 3 slices fresh ginger, unpeeled; 3 scallions, cut into 5 cm pieces; 2 whole star anise; 1 small cinnamon stick (about 5 cm); 2 dried bay leaves; 500 ml hot water, approximately

Shanghai's iconic slow-braised pork belly in a glossy caramel-soy sauce with warm spices

chineseshanghaipork bellybraisedcomfort foodsoy saucestar anise

Jump to Recipe

When the lid lifts from a pot of hong shao rou, the steam carries a scent that is impossible to mistake: caramelized sugar mingling with soy sauce, star anise, and the deep, porky richness of belly that has been braising for the better part of two hours. The pork itself has transformed from raw, pale cubes into something almost jewel-like, lacquered in a sauce so dark and glossy it catches the light. A gentle press with a chopstick and the meat yields completely, the layers of fat, lean, and skin having collapsed into a single, trembling whole.

This dish is associated most strongly with Shanghai and the broader Jiangnan region, where the preference for sweet-savory flavors shapes much of the cooking. It is said to have been a favorite of Chairman Mao, a claim that has elevated its reputation but risks obscuring its humbler origins as a home-cooked peasant dish designed to make the most of an inexpensive cut. Every family along the Yangtze Delta has its own recipe, arguing about the ratio of sugar to soy, whether to use rock sugar or white, whether Shaoxing wine is essential or optional.

The practical insight is the caramel. Building a dry caramel from rock sugar before adding the pork is what gives hong shao rou its distinctive color and complex sweetness. The sugar is cooked until it turns amber and fragrant, teetering at the edge of bitterness, and then the pork goes in. This step cannot be rushed or skipped. Without it, the dish is merely soy-braised pork, pleasant but one-dimensional.

At a Glance

Yield

4 servings

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

90 minutes

Total

105 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

4 servings

1¾ lbskin-on pork belly, cut into 3 cm cubes
3¼ tbsprock sugar (or 30 g granulated sugar)
1 tbspvegetable oil
1 fl ozShaoxing wine
1 fl ozlight soy sauce
½ fl ozdark soy sauce
3 slicesfresh ginger, unpeeled
3scallions, cut into 5 cm pieces
2 wholestar anise
1small cinnamon stick (about 5 cm)
2dried bay leaves
2⅛ cuphot water, approximately

Method

1
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly cubes and blanch for 3 minutes. You will see gray foam and impurities rise to the surface. Drain the pork and rinse each piece under warm running water to remove any remaining scum. Pat dry.
2
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and the rock sugar. Stir gently and continuously as the sugar begins to melt. It will first turn liquid, then foam, then gradually darken from pale gold to a rich amber.
3
Watch the caramel carefully. When it reaches a deep amber color and smells like toffee with a faint edge of bitterness, you are at the right point. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not walk away during this step, as the sugar can burn within seconds.
4
Immediately add the blanched pork belly pieces to the caramel. Stir vigorously to coat each piece. The sugar will seize and harden on contact but will melt again as the pork releases moisture. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pork is evenly coated and lightly browned.
5
Add the ginger slices, scallion pieces, star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir for 30 seconds, allowing the aromatics to bloom in the hot fat.
6
Pour in the Shaoxing wine. It will bubble aggressively. Let the alcohol cook off for about 20 seconds.
7
Add the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir to combine. The dark soy sauce will deepen the color to a rich mahogany.
8
Pour in enough hot water to just barely cover the pork. Do not drown it. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.
9
Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. The liquid should be at a very gentle simmer, with just a few lazy bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds.
10
Braise for 60 to 75 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure the liquid level is not dropping too quickly. If it reduces below halfway, add a small amount of hot water. The pork is ready when a chopstick slides through the meat with no resistance and the fat layers are trembling and translucent.
11
Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes, until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy coating that clings to each piece of pork. Be careful during this step, as the concentrated sauce can burn. The finished sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
12
Remove and discard the star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and ginger slices.
13
Taste the sauce. It should be a balance of sweet, salty, and richly savory. Adjust with a pinch more sugar or a splash of soy sauce if needed.
14
Transfer to a warm serving bowl. The pork should glisten with a deep reddish-brown lacquer, each piece tender enough to break apart with chopsticks. Serve with steamed white rice.

Key Ingredient Benefits

Pork belly is high in fat, but the slow braising process renders a significant portion of that fat into the cooking liquid. Skimming the sauce before reducing can further reduce the fat content of the finished dish.

Star anise contains anethole, the compound responsible for its licorice-like flavor. It has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine as a digestive aid, and some research suggests antimicrobial properties.

Rock sugar is less sweet than granulated sugar and produces a cleaner, more crystalline caramel. In Chinese culinary tradition, it is believed to produce a glossier sauce, which may be related to its different crystal structure and lower fructose content compared to white sugar.

Why This Works

The caramel serves multiple purposes. It provides the "red" color that gives the dish its name (hong means red). It adds a complex sweetness that is more nuanced than sugar dissolved in liquid, because the Maillard reaction and caramelization create hundreds of new flavor compounds. And it helps the sauce achieve its characteristic glossy, clinging consistency by contributing to the viscosity of the braising liquid.

Blanching the pork removes blood, impurities, and some excess fat. This results in a cleaner-tasting braise with a sauce that is rich rather than greasy. The brief rinse after blanching ensures no scum carries over into the final dish.

The long, low braise transforms the pork belly's connective tissue. Collagen in the skin and fat layers slowly converts to gelatin, which dissolves into the sauce and gives it body. This is why the sauce thickens naturally as it reduces, without any added starch. The gelatin also gives each piece of pork its characteristic trembling, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Substitutions & Variations

Rock sugar: Granulated sugar works, though the caramel will be slightly different in color and flavor. Brown sugar adds molasses notes that are not traditional.
Pork belly alternative: Pork shoulder (butt) can be used for a leaner version, though you will miss the melt-in-mouth quality of the belly fat. Skin-on is strongly preferred.
Shaoxing wine: Dry sherry is the closest substitute. Do not use rice vinegar or mirin, which will change the flavor profile significantly.
Additions: Hard-boiled eggs added during the last 30 minutes of braising are a classic variation. Fried tofu puffs are another traditional addition.
Pressure cooker: This dish can be made in a pressure cooker in about 35 minutes at high pressure, though purists may argue the flavor is less developed.

Serving Suggestions

Steamed white rice is essential. The sauce is meant to be spooned over rice, and a good bowl of hong shao rou with rice is one of life's genuine pleasures. Balance the richness with a clean, simple vegetable dish, such as stir-fried greens or a cold cucumber salad. Steamed buns are another traditional accompaniment, used to mop up the sauce. For a full meal, add a clear soup and a lighter stir-fry.

Storage & Reheating

Hong shao rou improves overnight, as the flavors continue to meld and deepen in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce will solidify when cold due to its gelatin content, which is a sign of a well-made braise. Reheat gently in a covered pot over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce liquefies and the pork is warmed through. Freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.