Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉), or red braised pork, is a beloved dish in China. Depending on the region, there are many different approaches to cooking it. Some versions taste sweeter, some taste more savory, while others taste spicy. However, all of them use the red braise cooking method to give the pork a glossy caramelized char. The pork is then simmered in liquid with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and plenty of aromatics until melt-in-your-mouth tender. In the past I shared how my family braises pork. For example, the Northern Chinese style Braised Pork Ribs and Braised Pork Feet. The Hong Shao Rou recipe I’m sharing today is closer to Shanghai style, which is the more popular version in the US. I can’t wait to show you how easy it is to cook this dish in your own kitchen!
Hong shao rou ingredients
How to purchase pork belly
The authentic red braised pork always uses skin-on pork belly. You can usually find it in a Chinese market. I’ve even seen gorgeous cuts of pork belly at Costco. Personally, I always pick the leanest cut I can find, so the final version is less greasy. If you don’t like pork skin, the skinless type also works well. Most Korean and Japanese markets sell skinless pork belly. Some US grocery stores sell the cut too, but it tends to be very fatty at those places.
How to cut pork belly
Pork belly shrinks quite a bit during cooking. I prefer to cut it into 1” (2.5 cm) chunks, so it will absorb flavor well while holding its shape. Note, depending on the cut you get, the best shape to cut it into might be a rectangle (see the picture below). I got this sliced pork belly in Chinatown. I would cut them into long rectangles instead of further cutting them into squares. It’s important to leave the lean meat attached to the fat, so the meat will become extra tender from the braising.
Hong shao rou braising ingredients
It doesn’t take many ingredients to make hong shao rou. You will need:
Green onion Ginger Shaoxing wine Light and dark soy sauce Sugar Star anise
How to cook hong shao rou
1. Blanching the pork
This step is very important in most Chinese braised pork dishes. It gets rid of the impurities from the pork and imparts the meat with aromatics. The cooking liquid is reserved and used at the braising. All you need to do is:
2. Sear the pork in sugar (炒糖色)
It’s a technique used in many red braised dishes. By melting sugar in oil, then cooking the pork in the syrup that results, the pork will be browned immediately with a beautiful caramel color. It will add depth of flavor and give the pork that shiny look at the end of the cooking. While the method might sound daunting, it’s actually quite easy. All you need to do is to ensure that you dry the pork thoroughly and use a pot without any water on it. So it won’t cause any splatter.
3. Braising
The easiest part!
Add the browned pork, the braising liquid, and the aromatics. Braise until the broth is reduced to a thick glossy sauce and the pork is tender.
Side dishes to serve with hong shao rou
Hong Shao Rou is a very rich dish. Consider pairing it with steamed rice and leafy vegetables to create a balanced meal. Some side dishes that go well with it include:
4-Ingredient Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry Chinese Pickled Cabbage (A Quick Pickle Recipe) Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad Chinese Seaweed Salad Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic
This red braised pork also holds up very well and is freezer-friendly. Make it ahead and portion it out, so you can have delicious feasts throughout the busy week!
More delicious make-ahead recipes
Chinese Chili (Sichuan Style) Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) African Chicken (Macanese One-Pan Chicken Curry) Chinese Beef Stew with Potatoes Mom’s Best Braised Pork Ribs
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
