Claypot Braised Pork Belly with Five-Spice and Caramelized Shallots

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-20 · Updated 2026-06-20

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender pork belly slowly braised in a rich caramel sauce infused with five-spice and topped with crispy caramelized shallots, served straight from the claypot. This Vietnamese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 85 minutes, pairs pork belly, shallots, brown sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 70 min Serves 4 Vietnamese cuisine 420 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 lb pork belly
5 medium, thinly sliced shallots
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
for garnish fresh cilantro

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a claypot or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 5 medium thinly sliced shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and caramelized with rich aroma. Remove half of the shallots and set aside for garnish.
Step 2: Add 1 lb pork belly cut into 1-inch chunks into the pot with the remaining caramelized shallots. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until edges start to brown.
Step 3: Stir in 3 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder, cooking for 1 minute until the sugar melts and the mixture is fragrant.
Step 4: Pour in 1 cup water to cover the pork partially, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and the sauce thickens to a sticky glaze.
Step 5: Transfer to serving dish, top with the reserved crispy caramelized shallots and fresh cilantro leaves for a fragrant finish.