Soy-Braised Shanghainese Red-Cooked Pork Belly

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

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 slowly braised in a savory soy and Shaoxing wine sauce, capturing the signature rich flavors of Shanghainese red cooking. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs pork belly, ginger, scallions for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 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: 75 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 550 cal/serving

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Ingredients

600 g, cut into 2-inch cubes pork belly
20 g, sliced ginger
2 stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces scallions
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
25 g rock sugar
2 whole pieces star anise
500 ml water
2 tbsp vegetable oil

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add 600 g pork belly cubes and sear for 5-6 minutes until all sides are golden brown and the fat starts to render.
Step 2: Add 20 g sliced ginger and 2 stalks cut scallions to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Step 3: Pour in 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and add 25 g rock sugar plus 2 whole star anise. Stir gently to coat the pork evenly.
Step 4: Add 500 ml water to cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover partially with a lid. Simmer gently for 1 hour until the pork is tender and the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze.
Step 5: Remove star anise and scallions before serving the braised pork belly hot with steamed rice or buns.