Best Red Braised Pork Belly Recipes

SLOW-COOKED RED BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pork belly; cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• 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.
• 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.
• Cook on Low until pork is tender, about 6 hours. Add diced chicken substitute, hard-boiled eggs, and more water to cover.
• Cook on Low until eggs absorb cooking liquid, rotating halfway through, about 1 hour more.

CRISPY PORK BELLY WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND SUGAR BROWNED POTATOES

Steps:

• For the pork belly: Pat the skin of the pork belly completely dry. Using a sharp knife, cut parallel lines across the skin and fat, about a 1/2 inch apart, making sure not to cut down into the meat.
• Mix the salt, baking powder and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the pork all over with the salt mixture, making sure to get it into the grooves on the skin. Place the pork skin-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours (see Cook's Note).
• About an hour before cooking the pork, allow it to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour 4 cups of water into the roasting pan with the pork (this will prevent the drippings from burning). Cook until the meat is tender but not falling apart, about 3 hours.
• For the cabbage: Meanwhile, add the cabbage, vinegar, jam, sugar and salt to a large high-sided skillet and mix to combine. Cover, place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally to make sure the cabbage is not browning, until softened and no longer crisp, about 20 minutes. The cabbage will release some moisture, but if it starts to stick to the bottom of the skillet or seems dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten. Keep warm.
• For the potatoes: Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender but not too soft, about 15 minutes. Drain into a colander and set aside for about 10 minutes. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them with your hands or a paring knife.
• Meanwhile, add the sugar to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar is completely melted, about 3 minutes. When the edges start to turn brown, after about another 3 minutes, add the butter and kosher salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir carefully to combine. Continue to cook until the mixture is amber, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring gently to coat them with the browned sugar, until heated through, about 4 minutes. (Don't worry if the sugar hardens when you first add the potatoes; it will melt again.) Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.
• After the pork belly has cooked for 3 hours, increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees F and continue to cook until the skin is crisp and brown, about 20 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with the cabbage and potatoes.

CHINESE RED-COOKED PORK BELLY, BRAISED

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok or dutch oven until shimmering.
• Add sugar to oil. Mix constantly until it melts (~370F).
• Add pork belly and sear until golden brown. Stir constantly and scrape bits of sugar that have stuck to the pot. The sugar will burn quickly so pay attention.
• Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, and water. Add ginger and star anise. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer.
• After an 45 minutes to an hour, remove meat to serving bowl. Boil sauce until desired consistency and skim off scum and fat. Pour over meat.
• Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve.

RED-BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Bring large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pork and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook 5 minutes. Transfer with tongs to cutting board; let cool enough to handle. Cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. Set aside.
• Heat oil in wok or large (4-L) saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and cook while stirring until it's melted and light brown; about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add rice wine. Note mixture may splatter and steam.
• Stir in pork, broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Slice 2 green onions into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths. Add ginger to cutting board; hit sliced green onions and ginger several times with back of knife to lightly bruise and crush. Stir into pork mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until pork is fork-tender, about 1 hour.
• Uncover, skim fat from surface of cooking liquid and discard. Increase heat to medium and cook uncovered stirring often until sauce is thick and syrupy; about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard star anise and cinnamon stick. Transfer pork mixture to serving bowls. Thinly slice remaining green onion; sprinkle over top of pork mixture. Garnish with cilantro.
• Chef's tip: If you can't find pork belly, use 900 g boneless pork shoulder roast instead.

RED BRAISED GINGER PORK BELLY WITH PICKLED CHILLIES

Steps:

• Toss the pork with the soy and 1 tbsp of the rice wine. Leave for 1 hr or, even better, overnight in the fridge.
• Heat some of the oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Brown the meat, in batches, on both sides and set aside. Add a little more oil and cook the garlic, ginger and chilli for 2-3 mins until golden.
• Pour the vinegar, remaining rice wine, sugar and stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Add the pork, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hrs or until the meat is tender. For the final 30 mins, remove the lid, increase the heat and let the liquid reduce until thick and syrupy. Serve scattered with the sesame seeds, spring onions and sliced chillies, with rice.