Red-Braised Pork Belly

also called hong shao rou · hongshao rou · red cooked pork · Shanghai braised pork belly

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Red-Braised Pork Belly: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
2 lb(900 g; cut in 1 1/2-in cubes)skin-on pork bellyblanch 5 minturn in the caramelbraise covered 1 1/2 hrreduce to a syrupy glaze 15 min
2scallions
4 slicesfresh ginger
4 cups(950 mL)water
2 Tbs(30 g)rock sugarcaramelize in a wok until amber
1 Tbspeanut oil
1/2 cup(120 mL)Shaoxing wine
3 Tbslight soy sauce
1 Tbsdark soy sauce
2star anise
1cinnamon stick
2 cups(475 mL)water
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1blanch 5 min

2caramelize in a wok until amber

4braise covered 1 1/2 hr

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 50 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
20 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. Nothing here says whether you can walk away, so all 20 min of it is counted as time you are standing over it. The recipe itself says 2 hr 30 min.

  1. blanch 5 min

    5 minneeds you(assumed)from the start

  2. caramelize in a wok until amber

    not timedfrom the start

  3. turn in the caramel

    not timed5 min in

  4. braise covered 1 1/2 hr

    1 hr 30 minwalk away(read off the step)5 min in

  5. reduce to a syrupy glaze 15 min

    15 minneeds you(assumed)1 hr 35 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

You'll need pot · wok

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Red-Braised Pork Belly
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: pork, chinese, soy sauce, braise, hong shao rou
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: hong shao rou, hongshao rou, red cooked pork, Shanghai braised pork belly
>> servings: 4
>> time: 2 hr 30 min
>> step.1: blanch 5 min
>> step.3: turn in the caramel
>> step.4: braise covered 1 1/2 hr
>> step.5: reduce to a syrupy glaze 15 min

Blanch @skin-on pork belly{2%lb}(900 g; cut in 1 1/2-in cubes), @scallions{2}, @fresh ginger{4%slices}, @water{4%cup}(950 mL) in a #pot{} for ~{5%min}.

Caramelize @rock sugar{2%Tbs}(30 g), @peanut oil{1%Tbs} in a #wok{} until amber.

Turn @&(~2)blanched pork belly{} in @&(~1)caramel{}.

Braise @&(~1)glazed pork{} with @Shaoxing wine{1/2%cup}(120 mL), @light soy sauce{3%Tbs}, @dark soy sauce{1%Tbs}, @star anise{2}, @cinnamon stick{1}, @water{2%cup}(475 mL) for ~{90%min}.

Reduce @&(~1)braise{} until the sauce is syrupy, ~{15%min}.