Soy-Braised Pork Belly with Star Anise and Brown Sugar

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 drafted and published.

Rich pork belly slowly braised in a fragrant soy sauce broth with star anise and caramelized brown sugar, delivering tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 105 minutes, pairs pork belly, vegetable oil, brown sugar 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: 90 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 500 g pork belly cubes and brown on all sides for 5-6 minutes until the edges turn golden.
  2. Step 2: Stir in 3 tbsp brown sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar melts and caramelizes, coating the pork and turning a deep amber color.
  3. Step 3: Add 4 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 cup water, 2 whole star anise, 3 slices ginger, 3 smashed garlic cloves, and 1 stalk scallion pieces; bring to a boil.
  4. Step 4: Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours until pork belly is tender and the sauce thickens to a rich glaze.
  5. Step 5: Remove star anise, ginger, garlic, and scallions before serving with steamed rice for a hearty main dish.

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