Hong Shao Rou Recipe (红烧肉)

By Souped Up Recipes · 90 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Cut the skin-on pork belly into cubes about 1.5 inches by 2 inches, with the 2-inch side running parallel to the muscle grain.
2. Place the pork in cold water with the green onion roots and tops, 6–8 ginger slices and a drizzle of Chinese cooking wine. Bring to a boil on high heat.
3. Skim off the scum with a fine sieve, remove and discard the aromatics, and drain the pork well.
4. Place the scallion and ginger pieces on the bottom of a clay pot or Dutch oven.
5. Set aside 3 scallion white stalks and 6 ginger slices. Dice the scallions roughly. Crush and peel 5–6 garlic cloves and put everything in a bowl.
6. Combine 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 2 dried red chilies, a small piece of cinnamon stick, 1/4 nutmeg and 1 star anise.
7. On medium-low heat in a wok, stir the pork for 5–6 minutes until some fat renders and it is lightly charred. Add the aromatics and stir until fragrant, along with the spices.
8. Turn off the heat. Transfer the pork and aromatics to the clay pot, skin side down.
9. Leave a little fat in the wok. Add 2.5 tbsp sugar and stir constantly until dark amber. Pour in 2–3 cups water (the creator's text says 3 cups) and bring to a boil.
10. Pour the caramel liquid into the clay pot with 4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine and 4 tbsp soy sauce. Place a small plate on the pork and simmer for 1.5 hours.
11. Turn off the heat, remove the plate, and pick out the scallions and ginger. Taste, then add 1/3 tsp salt and 1.5 tsp sugar.
12. Blanch baby bok choy in water with salt and oil for about 20 seconds, then serve alongside the pork.
13. Sieve the spices out of the sauce. If there is too much, reduce it a little. Pour the sauce over the pork and top with a little scallion.

Summarized from Souped Up Recipes's video. Watch it for the details.

More recipes with

GarlicGingerScallionPork bellyBok choy