Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly

Name: Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 7 h 17 min
Total time: 7 h 37 min
Ingredients: 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)

Rating: 3.5 stars

2 Ratings
2 Reviews
1 Photo

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.

By Ray Sheen

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Recipe Summary

prep:

20 mins

cook:

7 hrs 17 mins

total:

7 hrs 37 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

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

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Step 2

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.
Step 3

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.
Step 4

Cook on Low until pork is tender, about 6 hours. Add diced chicken substitute, hard-boiled eggs, and more water to cover.
Step 5

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

Cook's Notes:

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.

Partner Tip

Try using a Reynolds® slow cooker liner in your slow cooker for easier cleanup.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

680 calories; 48.8 g total fat; 380 mg cholesterol; 3036 mg sodium. 16.2 g carbohydrates; 38.3 g protein; Full Nutrition

Reviews (2)

Most helpful positive review

Hilary

06/14/2018

Absolutely delicious. Used half plum vinegar and added some spicy barbecue sauce cayenne paprika and a while onion. Read More

Most helpful critical review

pbuck17241@yahoo.com

09/02/2018

We tried it. The pork belly didn't absorb any flavor. I ended up draining the juice into a pan and reducing it. Then I tossed the meat so there was at least a little flavor there. We won't make it again. Read More

2 Ratings