Hóngshāo Ròu
Red Braised Pork Belly
(AKA: Red Cooked Pork)
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
1 lb Skin On Pork Belly (Wǔhuāròu)
2 Tbs Oil - can use peanut, canola, soybean, or vegetable oil
1 inch piece Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - sliced
4 Star Anise (Bājiǎo)
1 Cinnamon Stick (Guìpí)
3 Tbs Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
1 Tbs Dark Soy Sauce (Lǎo Chōu)
1 Tbs Shaoxing Rice Wine
2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil (Zhīmayóu)
2 Tbs Chinese Brown Sugar (Piàn Táng)* - broken up
4 Green Onions (Cōng) - green parts only chopped
-OPTIONAL-
2 Dried Chinese Red Chiles (Gàn de Hóng Làjiāo)
Preparation:
- Place your pork belly in a medium pot and cover with cold water - Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil - Remove the 'scum', remove from heat, and transfer to a colander - Rinse meat with warm water and set aside to drain until needed
- Whisk together the soy sauces, rice wine, sesame oil, and 2 Cups of water in a bowl and set aside until needed
- Place a wok over medium heat and heat the oil until shimmering - Add sliced ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, and dried red chiles (if using) and stir fry until ginger is browned around the edges - Reduce heat to low and add the sugar - Allow to cook until the sugar has melted and begins to bubble
- Cut the blanched pork belly to your liking (apx 2 inch 'cubes' OR larger pieces for 'sandwiches')
- Raise the heat back to medium and add the blanched pork belly - Stir fry until pork is lightly browned
- Reduce heat to low and add the sauce mixture (from step 2) - Cover and allow to simmer (stirring regularly) until pork is fork tender (apx 45 minutes to an hour) and 'sauce' has reduced to a thick glaze (should coat the pork and be almost 'dry') - NOTE: Add as little water as necessary to avoid burning and scorching
- Remove the star anise pods, cinnamon stick, and ginger slices (if desired) and serve hot garnished with the chopped green onion over steamed rice with a side of Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (Háoyóu Jiè Lán) or alongside a vegetable stir fry OR serve larger pieces inside split Chinese Bao Buns as 'sliders' or 'sandwiches'
*
AKA: Bar Brown Sugar, Brick Sugar, Blooming Brown Sugar, Brown Candy, and Brown Rock Sugar
- can substitute granulated sugar or 'regular' brown sugar if desired
