Chinese🥩 Meat

Chinese Braised Pork Belly

Name: Chinese Braised Pork Belly
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 kg pork belly with skin; 2 spring onion; 3-4 ginger slices; 40 ml Chinese rice wine; 3-4 ginger slices; 3 spring onion; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 2 star anise; 1-3 dried red chili; 2 tbsp rock sugar; 6 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce; 40 ml Chinese rice wine; water; neutral oil; tsp cornstarch

⏱ 90 min🍽 Serves 2

Tender Chinese braised pork belly with meat that melts on the tongue. The savory, slightly sweet soy-based sauce is addictive. A classic of Chinese cuisine, perfect served with steamed rice.

Adapted from a video by Thomas kocht

Chinesisch geschmorter Schweinebauch – das zarteste Fleisch, das du je gegessen hast!

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Ingredients

pork belly with skin1 kg
spring onionfor blanching step, cut in half2
ginger slicesfor blanching step3-4
Chinese rice wineor use dry sherry as substitute40 ml
ginger slicesfor braising step3-4
spring onionfor braising step, use white parts3
cinnamon stick1
bay leaves2
star anise2

Steps

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1
Prepare blanching broth: place halved spring onions, ginger slices, and rice wine in a pot, add cold water. Add pork belly skin-side down, ensuring it is fully submerged. Bring to a boil from cold water and simmer for 5–10 minutes until foam rises to the surface.
2
Remove pork and rinse thoroughly: rinse the blanched pork belly under cold water to remove impurities. Pat dry with kitchen paper and remove any remaining bristles.
3
Cut meat into chunks: cut the cleaned pork belly into bite-sized pieces roughly the size of goulash chunks, each containing both skin and meat.
4
Prepare aromatics and seasonings: ready ginger slices, white parts of spring onions, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, star anise, dried red chili, light and dark soy sauce.
5
Caramelize sugar and sear meat (optional): heat oil in the pot, add rock sugar to melt and caramelize. Add meat chunks to brown the surface quickly. Warning: sugar and hot oil can splatter violently when cold water is added—it is safer to skip this step or add sugar later, proceeding directly to braising.
6
Add liquid and aromatics: pour cold water to cover the meat. Add all spices, spring onion whites, ginger slices, light and dark soy sauces, and rice wine. Cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour.
7
Check doneness: poke the meat gently with a skewer—if it pierces easily and the fat is tender, the pork is done. Skim off any foam from the surface for a clear sauce.
8
Reduce sauce: increase heat to high and reduce the liquid until thickened. Remove whole spices at this point. Optionally skim off excess fat with a spoon.
9
Thicken sauce (optional): if desired for a thicker glaze clinging to the meat, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the pot, simmering for 2–3 minutes until it thickens.
10
Slice green onion tops and serve: while braising, slice the reserved green parts of the spring onions into thin pieces. Plate the finished pork belly, pour the rich sauce over it, garnish with green onion slices, and serve with steamed rice.

Chinese Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients

Steps

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