Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly

Bao buns with pork belly.

Recipe Summary Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly

This is one of the most common Chinese household dishes. You almost never find this dish in restaurants because it takes a long time to cook and because it is gloriously fatty. Serve with steamed rice and your choice of vegetable.

Ingredients | Bao Pork Belly Buns

1 ½ pounds pork belly, cut into bite-size pieces

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup dark soy sauce

¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine

¼ cup light soy sauce

4 scallions, halved

4 slices fresh ginger

4 star anise pods

water to cover

½ (8 ounce) package vegetarian chicken substitute, diced (Optional)

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (Optional)

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pork belly; cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until sugar is melted. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Add dark soy sauce; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.

Transfer pork mixture to a slow cooker. Add rice wine, light soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and star anise. Pour in enough water to just cover the pork.

Cook on Low until pork is tender, about 6 hours. Add diced chicken substitute, hard-boiled eggs, and more water to cover.

Cook on Low until eggs absorb cooking liquid, rotating halfway through, about 1 hour more.

Use crystal sugar instead of brown sugar if you have it.

Substitute dry sherry for the rice wine if desired. Substitute chicken stock for the water if desired.

Substitute tofu puffs or tofu knots for the vegetarian chicken if preferred.

Info | Bao Pork Belly Buns

prep: 20 mins cook: 7 hrs 17 mins total: 7 hrs 37 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 servings

TAG : Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly

World Cuisine Recipes, Asian, Chinese,