Slow-Simmered Pork Belly in Spicy Hunan Chili Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-07 · Updated 2026-05-07

Rich pork belly slowly braised in a bold and spicy Hunan-style chili sauce, yielding tender meat with a fiery kick. This Chinese recipe, ready in about 85 minutes, blends pork belly, vegetable oil, garlic into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. 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, cut into 1-inch cubes pork belly
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp fermented chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 4 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 tbsp, minced ginger
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 stalks, chopped scallions
• 5, whole red dried chilies
• 1 tsp (optional, for thickening) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp (for slurry) water

The chef’s knife we’d prep this with → Best Chef's Knives for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering; add 1 lb 1-inch cubed pork belly and brown on all sides for about 5-7 minutes.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 tbsp fermented chili bean paste, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and 5 whole dried red chilies; cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 tbsp brown sugar; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover, simmering gently for 1 hour until pork is tender.
4. Step 4: Optional: Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to create a slurry; stir into the pot and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce.
5. Step 5: Garnish with 3 chopped scallion stalks before serving with steamed rice.