Pan-Seared Shanghainese Red-Cooked Pork Belly

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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 braised in a savory and slightly sweet soy-based sauce inspired by Shanghainese flavors. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs pork belly, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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: 65 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Cut 1 lb pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork belly pieces and sear for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are golden brown and edges crispy.
  3. Step 3: Remove pork and set aside. In the same skillet, add 1-inch sliced ginger, 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces, 2 whole star anise, and 1 small cinnamon stick, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Return pork belly to skillet and add 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp rock sugar, and 1 cup water. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until pork is tender and sauce has thickened to a glaze that coats the pork.
  6. Step 6: Remove star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and scallions before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice.

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