Hóng Shāo Ròu (Red-Braised Pork Belly)
Updated February 18, 2026
- Ready In
- 3 hr 40 min
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Ingredients
1½ pounds wǔ huā ròu (boneless pork belly)
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil
4 tablespoons/60 grams rock sugar, (2 tablespoons finely crushed with a mortar and pestle, 2 tablespoons left whole); or 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (see Tip)
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce (see Tip)
1 cup chicken stock or water, plus more for braising
¼ cup light soy sauce (see Tip)
¼ cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
3 whole star anise
2 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions (3 cut into 2-inch segments and 1 chopped)
4 to 6 hard-boiled eggs (optional), peeled and slashed lengthwise 2 or 3 times
8 frozen tofu knots (optional)
Cooked white rice, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil over high in a large pot, and add the pork belly. Add more water to cover the pork, if necessary, then boil for 3 minutes. (This step removes impurities from the pork.) Drain and set the pork aside. When cool enough to handle, cut the pork into 1½-inch cubes and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Step 2
Heat the oil in a well-seasoned wok (or large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides) on low, until wisps of smoke curl up off the edges. Add the 2 tablespoons crushed rock sugar and stir until the sugar melts and dissolves.
- Step 3
Adjust the heat to medium. Working in batches if necessary, and being mindful of the residual water popping in the oil (use a splatter screen if you have one), gently add the chunks of pork belly. Cook, undisturbed, allowing the pork to caramelize and brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (This step gives it a rich caramel flavor.) Add the dark soy sauce, stir to combine and cook for an additional minute.
- Step 4
Add the stock, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, remaining 2 tablespoons whole rock sugar, the star anise, ginger and scallion segments. The mixture should come three-quarters of the way up the side of the pile of pork. If not, add more stock or water.
- Step 5
Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, partially covered (use a sheet pan or aluminum foil if you don’t have a lid) for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more stock or water as needed; the wok should never be dry. The longer the pork simmers, the more tender and flavorful it will be; it’s ready when it’s soft enough to slip a chopstick in with ease, but you can go up to 2 hours longer to build the flavor even more. When there’s approximately 2 hours of braising time left, add the hard-boiled eggs to the wok, if using. Twenty minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the frozen tofu knots, if using.
- Step 6
When ready to serve, remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and boil until the cooking liquid becomes a thick, dark, glistening sauce that blankets the pork belly. If the pork belly has begun to break down (the lean meat is separating from the fatty portion), use a slotted spoon to remove the pork before cooking down the sauce, and add the pork back in at the end.
- Step 7
Top with the chopped scallions and serve with rice.
Rock sugar is chunky crystallized sugar that ranges in color from white to pale yellow. It dissolves more slowly than granulated sugar, which makes it ideal for slow braises. Light soy sauce is thin and salty, and what you’ll typically find in most grocery stores. Viscous and a little sweet, dark soy sauce is made from soybeans that have been fermented longer than those used to make light soy sauce. You can buy all of these items at Asian grocery stores or online.
Private Notes
Comments
I made several modifications: I cut my porkbelly into smaller pieces ~3/4 to 1 inch pieces because 1 1/2 inch cubes are be too large of a bite. I also added a 1.5 inch length of ginger sliced into planks because I wanted more ginger flavor. Lastly, instead of a stovetop braise, I pressure cooked on high for 25 min and it came out excellent. I skimmed much of the fat off and it left a beautiful silky sauce.
How could 2 thin slices of ginger have any flavor impact on à large dish like this that cooks so long? Is “2 thin slices” really what’s intended?
Absolutely delicious! Pork shoulder might be a lighter substitute for the pork belly and oh, double or triple the ginger!
Used about 2x as much ginger and scallions as called for and it turned out excellent. Flavor was very similar in profile to the one I've had in Chinatown. The only issue I had was that the sauce separated at the very end (I guess I boiled it too long). Was still superb.
I am making this now and am stuck on step 2. How do you get the oil smoking on low?
@sherri louis Mine never smoked. I finally decided it was hot enough and moved on.
This was lovely! It was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I managed. No star anise, so I substituted Chinese five spice. After 3 hours cook time, I had a lot of fat rendered in the pan, and not a lot of sauce. I set aside the eggs & pork. I poured off the fat, (into a jar for later) added some stock to the thick bit of “sauce” still in the pan, a bit of rock sugar, let it bubble for a bit, added the pork & eggs back in & voila! Served over rice with some steamed broccoli. It was delicious. Fairly easy too. Next time: I’ll probably do the same in as much as the sauce, buy maybe coconut rice?