Slow-Braised Chinese Red-Cooked Pork Belly

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

A traditional Chinese pork belly dish featuring tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat slowly braised in a fragrant soy and spice sauce. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 135 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.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork belly
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 2 whole star anise
• 2-inch piece, sliced ginger
• 2 stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces green onions
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut 1 lb pork belly into 2-inch cubes. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and brown the pork belly cubes on all sides for about 5 minutes until lightly caramelized.
2. Step 2: Add 2-inch sliced ginger, 2 stalks green onions cut into 2-inch pieces, 2 whole star anise, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tbsp rock sugar to the pot. Stir to coat the pork and cook for 2 minutes until the sugar melts and spices are fragrant.
3. Step 3: Pour in 2 cups water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until the pork is tender and the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze, stirring occasionally.