Low-Heat Braised Pork Belly with Soy and Star Anise

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-09 · Updated 2026-06-09

Tender pork belly slowly braised over low heat in a fragrant soy and star anise broth, creating a rich and silky dish perfect over steamed rice. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 115 minutes, pairs pork belly, soy sauce, dark soy sauce 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.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork belly
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp rice wine
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 inch, sliced thin ginger
• 4, smashed garlic cloves
• 2 cups water
• 2, cut into 2-inch pieces scallions
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut 1 lb pork belly into 1-inch cubes. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and brown pork belly pieces for 5 minutes until edges are golden.
2. Step 2: Add 4 smashed garlic cloves, 1 inch sliced ginger, and 2 whole star anise to the pot. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Pour in 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice wine, and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Stir to coat the pork evenly.
4. Step 4: Add 2 cups water and 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1.5 hours until pork is tender and sauce has thickened.
5. Step 5: Remove star anise and scallions before serving. Serve the braised pork belly hot with steamed rice.