Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesChinese sticky braised pork (Hong shao rou)
Posted: 29/08/2024Updated: 29/08/2024
Traditional Chinese dish with slow-cooked pork belly caramelised in a sweet and fragrant glaze made from soy sauce, sugar and rice wine.
Serve with boiled white rice and sautéed vegetables such as beansprouts or sugar snap peas.
Ingredients
Servings
- 800 grams Pork belly
- 6 centimetres Ginger
- 6 Star anise
- 50 grams Rock sugar
- 650 millilitres Water
- 80 millilitres Shaoxing wine
- 5 tablespoons Light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Dark soy sauce
- 1 large Spring onion
- 2 tablespoons Neutral oil
Instructions
- Begin by cutting the pork belly into 6 centimetre thick pieces. Blanch the pork belly pieces for a couple minutes in boiling water and then set aside.
- Slice the ginger into thin batons. Heat a pan with the neutral oil on medium-high heat. Sear the pieces of pork belly until browned on each side - this should only take a couple minutes. Add the sliced ginger, star anise and rock sugar. Fry for a couple more minutes to allow the spices to infuse.
- Add the water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 25-60 minutes or until the pork is fork tender. Stir every so often to prevent burning and top up with water if it becomes too dry.
- Once the pork is fork tender, if there is still a lot of liquid, remove the lid, turn up the heat, and stir continuously until the sauce has reduced to your desired thickness.
- Serve on top a portion of rice and garnish with sliced spring onion.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Blanch the pork belly: Doing this removes the impurities.
- Searing the pork belly: Only sear for a total of no more than 2 minutes to prevent the meat from drying. Ensure this by first patting the pork belly dry after blanching and allowing you pan to become hot and don't overcrowd the pan.
- Cooking time: Braise the pork on low heat for around 45 minutes for the best texture. This slow cooking method ensures that the pork becomes tender and absorbs all the rich flavours from the sauce.
Alternative ingredients
- Traditional rock sugar is preferred for its subtle sweetness and shiny glaze. If you don’t have rock sugar, you can use 4 tablespoons of white or brown sugar for a similar flavour.
- You can replace pork belly for pork shoulder. Due to it being leaner, you will need to braise for longer for that tender texture.
- Instead of pork, chicken thighs can be used instead.
Storage instructions
- Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be safely stored for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Place it in a freezer-safe container or bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Re-heating instructions
If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting.
- Microwave: To quickly re-heat, heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Adjust the time depending on the microwave's power and portion size.
- Stove: Re-heat on the stove over medium heat. Add a little water to loosen the sauce and cook until hot throughout.
Nutrition and dietary facts
Gluten-free
(Per serving) Calories: 903kcal (40%), Protein: 49.2g (82%), Fat: 68.2g (85%), Saturated fat: 22g (147%), Carbohydrates: 12.5g (5%), Sugars: 10.2g (41%), Fibre: 0.5g (2%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.