Shanghai-Style Braised Pork Belly
This Shanghai-style braised pork belly is slow cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender in a rich, glossy soy-based sauce. A must-try authentic and flavourful Chinese dish!
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) pork belly slices cut into 2cm chunks
- water to remove pork impurities
- 20 ml (4 tsp) groundnut or vegetable oil
- 20 g (0.7 oz) rock or granulated sugar see Tips
- 55 ml (1.9 floz) Shaoxing rice wine (or dry cooking sherry)
- 20 ml (4 tsp) light soy sauce
- 10 ml (2 tsp) dark soy sauce
- 480 ml (2 cups) cold water see Tips
Instructions
- Put the pork belly chunks into a wok or medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, and boil for 1 minute (this removes impurities and starts the cooking process). Remove the pork from the wok, rinse it and set it aside in a bowl or on a plate. Discard the water and clean the wok.
- Over a low heat, add the oil and sugar to the wok or pan. Once the sugar is melted, add the pork and increase the heat to medium (be careful as it will start spitting!) and cook for about 3 minutes, until the pork is lightly browned.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the Shaoxing rice wine. Cook for 2 minutes, then add both soy sauces and cold water.
- Cover the wok or pan with a lid and simmer over a medium heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pork is tender when checked with a fork. Every 10 minutes, stir the pork to prevent burning and add more water if it gets too dry.
- Once the pork is tender, if there’s still a lot of visible liquid, remove the lid, turn up the heat, and stir continuously until the sauce has reduced to a glistening coating (this may take 5 to 10 minutes).
Notes
- The water should mostly cover the pork belly in the wok to braise it properly. If using a thick-bottomed pan, you may need less, as it will evaporate slower. That said, you can also just cook it longer to reduce the sauce.
- No alcohol option – replace the Shaoxing rice wine with apple juice or chicken stock for a similar depth of flavour.
- Spicy version – add Szechuan peppercorns or chilli flakes for a hint of heat.
- Alternative sweeteners – use honey, palm sugar or maple syrup for slight variations in sweetness.
- Garnishes – for added texture, try garnishing the finished dish with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds or crispy shallots.
- This Shanghai-style braised pork belly recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Calories: 730kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 457mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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