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Simple Recipe for Braised Pork Belly

This braised pork belly tutorial is a foolproof recipe for beginners. It pairs wonderfully with rice, making it impossible to stop eating. The dish is fragrant, soft, and visually appealing, with rich fat that isn't greasy. It is recommended to serve it with rice.

Finished Braised Pork Belly

Finished Braised Pork Belly

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Note: If possible, try to sharpen your knife as much as you can.
  • Main Ingredients: Pork Belly, Eggs (optional), Tofu Skin (optional)
  • Seasonings: Ginger, Rock Sugar, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Cooking Wine, Bay Leaves, Star Anise, Salt, Water, Green Onions (remember to use boiling water)

Calculations

Before each preparation, determine how many servings you wish to make. One batch is sufficient for 2-3 people.

If you are cooking for just one person, consider halving the ingredients.

  • Pork Belly: approx. 1.5 to 2 kg (3-4 jin)
  • Ginger: 6 slices
  • Rock Sugar: 15g (approx. 7 pieces)
  • Light Soy Sauce: 10ml
  • Dark Soy Sauce: 15ml
  • Cooking Wine: 5ml
  • Boiling Water: Enough to cover the ingredients, approximately 600ml-900ml
  • Bay Leaves: 3 leaves
  • Star Anise: 2 pods
  • Quail Eggs (optional, can be substituted with an equal weight of regular eggs): 0-2 pieces
  • Tofu Skin (optional): 0-80g
  • Salt: 2-3g

Instructions

Preparing the Ingredients

  • Cut the Pork Belly into large chunks (approx. 4.5cm; freezing for half an hour to an hour makes it easier to cut).
  • Cut the Tofu Skin into strips 2cm wide.
  • Slice the Ginger (each slice approx. 3mm thick).
  • Boil the Water.
  • Hard-boil the Quail Eggs and poke holes in them using a fork or toothpick (the more holes, the better for flavor absorption).
  • Use the white part of the Green Onion, known as the Scallion White.

Start Cooking

  • Place the sliced pork belly in a cold pot, add cooking wine, ginger, and scallions, and boil for 15 minutes to remove the gamey odor.
  • Add two slices of ginger to the pot to enhance the flavor.
  • Heat over medium-low heat and add the pork belly directly without adding cooking oil. Sear all six sides of each piece of pork belly until the fat renders out.
  • Pour out the rendered fat and set it aside. Push the pork belly to one side of the pot, add 15g of rock sugar, and stir-fry until the rock sugar melts.
  • Once melted, stir-fry the pork belly with the rock sugar until well combined and coated with a rich color. Add:
  • light soy sauce 10ml
  • dark soy sauce 15ml
  • cooking wine 5ml
  • Stir-fry until the color deepens.
  • Add boiling water and simmer for 40 minutes (if you cut the pieces too large due to poor knife skills, please extend the simmering time accordingly). Also add:
  • ginger 2 slices
  • bay leaves 3 leaves
  • star anise 2 pieces
  • Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then add the quail eggs (boiled and pricked) and tofu skin. Turn the heat to medium-low and wait for another 40 minutes. (Stir occasionally during this process to prevent sticking.)
  • Uncover the pot and turn the heat to high to reduce the sauce until it is almost dry (do not reduce it completely to dryness).
  • Add 2-3g of salt, stir-fry briefly, and it is ready to serve.

Additional Content

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.