Hong Shao Rou is a Chinese classic. The tender, juicy pork is coated in a glossy sauce that is sticky, savory, sweet, and full of fragrance. It’s a perfect dish to cook on a weekend and enjoy throughout the week.
Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉), or red braised pork, is a beloved dish in China. Depending on the region, there are many different approaches to cooking it. Some versions taste sweeter, some taste more savory, while others taste spicy. However, all of them use the red braise cooking method to give the pork a glossy caramelized char. The pork is then simmered in liquid with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and plenty of aromatics until melt-in-your-mouth tender.
In the past I shared how my family braises pork. For example, the Northern Chinese style Braised Pork Ribs and Braised Pork Feet. The Hong Shao Rou recipe I’m sharing today is closer to Shanghai style, which is the more popular version in the US.
I can’t wait to show you how easy it is to cook this dish in your own kitchen!
Hong shao rou ingredients
How to purchase pork belly
The authentic red braised pork always uses skin-on pork belly. You can usually find it in a Chinese market. I’ve even seen gorgeous cuts of pork belly at Costco. Personally, I always pick the leanest cut I can find, so the final version is less greasy. If you don’t like pork skin, the skinless type also works well. Most Korean and Japanese markets sell skinless pork belly. Some US grocery stores sell the cut too, but it tends to be very fatty at those places.
How to cut pork belly
Pork belly shrinks quite a bit during cooking. I prefer to cut it into 1” (2.5 cm) chunks, so it will absorb flavor well while holding its shape. Note, depending on the cut you get, the best shape to cut it into might be a rectangle (see the picture below). I got this sliced pork belly in Chinatown. I would cut them into long rectangles instead of further cutting them into squares. It’s important to leave the lean meat attached to the fat, so the meat will become extra tender from the braising.
Hong shao rou braising ingredients
It doesn’t take many ingredients to make hong shao rou. You will need:
- Green onion
- Ginger
- Shaoxing wine
- Light and dark soy sauce
- Sugar
- Star anise
How to cook hong shao rou
1. Blanching the pork
This step is very important in most Chinese braised pork dishes. It gets rid of the impurities from the pork and imparts the meat with aromatics. The cooking liquid is reserved and used at the braising.
All you need to do is:
- Cover the pork with water and cook it with the aromatics
- Skim the foam from the surface
- Rinse the pork with cold tap water to further remove the impurities
- Drain and dry the pork thoroughly with paper towels (very important – it will prevent splatter when you cook the pork in the hot sugar)
2. Sear the pork in sugar (炒糖色)
It’s a technique used in many red braised dishes. By melting sugar in oil, then cooking the pork in the syrup that results, the pork will be browned immediately with a beautiful caramel color. It will add depth of flavor and give the pork that shiny look at the end of the cooking.
While the method might sound daunting, it’s actually quite easy. All you need to do is to ensure that you dry the pork thoroughly and use a pot without any water on it. So it won’t cause any splatter.
- Sprinkle the sugar in the pan and add the oil
- Cook until the sugar melts and the color is amber
- Brown the pork in the melted sugar
- You might need to brown the pork in two batches depending on the size of the pan
3. Braising
The easiest part!
- Add the browned pork, the braising liquid, and the aromatics.
- Braise until the broth is reduced to a thick glossy sauce and the pork is tender.
Side dishes to serve with hong shao rou
Hong Shao Rou is a very rich dish. Consider pairing it with steamed rice and leafy vegetables to create a balanced meal. Some side dishes that go well with it include:
- 4-Ingredient Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Chinese Pickled Cabbage (A Quick Pickle Recipe)
- Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Chinese Seaweed Salad
- Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic
This red braised pork also holds up very well and is freezer-friendly. Make it ahead and portion it out, so you can have delicious feasts throughout the busy week!
More delicious make-ahead recipes
- Chinese Chili (Sichuan Style)
- Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
- African Chicken (Macanese One-Pan Chicken Curry)
- Chinese Beef Stew with Potatoes
- Mom’s Best Braised Pork Ribs
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork, 红烧肉)
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lbs (700 to 900 g) pork belly , cut into 1” (2.5 cm) cubes
Blanching Liquid
- 2 green onions , cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces
- 1/2" (1 cm) ginger , sliced
Braising Liquid
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 cups reserved blanching liquid
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1" (2 cm) ginger , sliced
- 3 green onions , cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces
- 2 whole star anise pods
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot add the pork belly and enough water to cover it completely. Make sure there is some space between the water level and the lip of the pot to avoid boiling over and to make skimming easier.
- Add the green onions and ginger. Cook over high heat until the water reaches a full boil. Boil for 5 minutes, using a fine mesh strainer (or a ladle) to skim and discard the brown foam from the top, until the liquid is clear.
- Strain the pork and reserve the blanching liquid. Rinse the pork with running tap water to stop the cooking and rinse away any scum that may have stuck to it.
- In a separate medium-sized dutch oven or pot (make sure it is completely dry to avoid the oil and sugar splattering), add the sugar and oil. Heat over low heat until the sugar is melted and begins to brown; look for an amber color. Try to avoid stirring the sugar while melting it. Instead, swirl the whole pot.
- Once the caramel is a light amber color, carefully add the pork chunks by gently placing them into the caramel to minimize splashing or splattering. Depending on the size of your pot, you might need to add the pork in two batches.
- Turn the heat up to medium-low and brown the pork in the caramel, about 1 minute on each side. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
- Add the cooking wine and scrape with a wooden spatula to release any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the reserved blanching liquid, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger, green onions, and star anise.
- Turn to medium-high heat until the broth comes to a boil. Turn to medium-low or low heat so the broth reduces to a simmer. Cover the pot, leaving a finger-width gap to allow the steam to escape. Simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir 2 to 3 times during the simmering.
- If the pork has turned tender but the sauce isn’t fully reduced, remove the lid and bring the heat up to medium. Cook for another 10 or 15 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze consistency. Keep an eye on the pot during the process and stir to prevent burning on the bottom.
- Serve the pork with the glaze over steamed rice as a main course.
- You can store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for a month. To reheat the frozen pork, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then steam it until fully heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. If you want to reheat the pork in the microwave, cover the bowl with a plate to prevent oil splatter.
Video
Nutrition
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
I made this today and it is amazing! It brings me back to my youth when my family would order this at a restaurant and we would all agree it was our favorite dish. Relatively easy and so worth every effort!
Hi Maggie, do you suggest using pork belly with skin or without?
I recommend using pork belly with skin if you’re looking for the authentic texture.
Hi! Is the initial blanching crucial? What happens if I got straight to browning in the sugar / oil? Thanks!
The initial blanching will get rid of the blood and some extra fat from the meat so the end dish will has a more clear sauce and will be slightly less greasy. That being said, it’s totally OK to skip that step and go straight to browning.
This has been on my list for a long time but finally made it as part of my Lunar New Year spread and it was amazing. Unfortunately, there were no leftovers by the end of dinner. Thank you!!
This is an outstanding dish and great for anyone who has been apprehensive about preparing pork belly. The depth of flavor is reminiscent of much more complicated dishes. Served over rice and accompanied by baby bok choy or garlic broccolini is just yum!
gong hei fat choy – Served this at dinner – everyone thought it was delivered ! I am now required o serve this at ALL family functions !
I loved this so much second time making it now, it’s a family favourite. So easy to make as well. The best pork belly I’ve had.
For the sugar, are you using rock sugar or castor sugar? Thank you.
I used regular granulated sugar but rock sugar will work even better.
Just made this recipe. Absolutely divine. My first time cooking authentic Chinese food and your recipe made it so simple. Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try more.
My son and me lived this recipe.
Hi. How do I prevent the pork from becoming dry and tough? It happens to me all the time whenI am braising pork. Is it because my fire is too high or braised for too long?
There are a few things might cause this and it’s hard to pin point the reason without knowing your cooking process.
A few things might help:
– Keep cooking at a simmer or low boil (boiling will toughen the meat)
– (The most important) Always use a well marbled cut. The fat layers keep the lean part tender and it will eventually melt and add a tender texture
– Quality meat makes a different. Even with a fact cut like pork belly, some cut will be tender than the others
– Braising should be long enough so the meat turns tender. It’s hard to over cook braised pork belly but it can happen if you cook it too long.
You have to watch this dish carefully in the last 15 minutes of braising, as it burns very quickly at the end! I’ve made it three times now and only just managed not to overcook it at the last minute. Even burnt, though, this dish is delicious. The flavor is so good, it’s addicting. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
I made this tonight, amazing dish. I was lucky to find pork belly at Costco.
We all loved it
We love this recipe! The pork is very tender, flavorful; especially with the 5 Spice pods.
I plan to add this to my “Go to recipe” book. I can’t wait to try your other recipes!
I’m American but my wife was born and raised in Beijing. After three decades in the US, she is always craving various Chinese dishes. She absolutely loves it when I cook this, and always has me make it whenever she craves pork. According to her, I make it better than she can (but I think she just wants me to do the cooking!). Anyway, thanks for helping keep my wife happy!
This tastes just like the hong shao rou my father would make our family when I was growing up. Delicious!
So delicious, I also add quail eggs to the braising liquid 30 mins before serving – I love all your recipes!
One question for this one, do you have any tips for removing fat from the braising liquid? I always get a layer of fat and my sauce never reduces enough to be sticky – still tastes amazing! Just want to know if there is a way to remove some of the liquid fat.
You can skim the fat using a ladle. To remove the fat more thoroughly, chill the dish in the fridge until completely cooled off, the fat will solidify and you can easily scrape it off using a spoon. If you room is not super hot, the fat might also able to solidify at room temperature once cooled off completely.
This was the best braised pork belly ever! I might be a bit biased….but still. Thanks for an easy to follow and delicious recipe. 🙂
This was an amazing dinner restaurant style in our home. So yummy and worth all the time