Pork Belly Perfection For a Weekend Meal

A dish that quickly made an impression on me was hóngshāo ròu (红烧肉, soy sauce-braised pork belly) — cubed chunks of pork belly braised in soy sauce with fragrant spices. The stratas of fat tender the lean as it stews and fills the home with a spellbinding aroma casting hunger upon anyone near. Fork-tender, it falls apart in the mouth. The savory-sweet combination seduces the taste buds, rendering me addicted to this dish for life. As I write this, I wonder, ‘Is it time for me to stew another pot of this simple dish that waited nearly three decades to find my appetite?’

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I learned one variation of hongshao rou from a family in Shanghai that had neither chili nor spice; I felt something was missing. I’d learned hóngshāo yu (red-braised fish), hóngshāo shanyu (red-braised eel), hóngshāo tuji (red-braised organic chicken), and hóngshāo zhuti (red-braised pig’s feet); all of which included fragrant spices like star anise, chilies, Sichuan peppercorn, cassia bark, and black cardamom. I prefer hóngshāo ròu with a little heat from chilies and some aromatic soul. Hóngshāo ròu is a simple dish and deserves every spice and minute you can give to its perfection.

Make this version and give it your own flavor. If you don't have Chinese wine, bourbon works super fine. 

Get the recipe