Soy-Braised Shanghainese Red-Cooked Pork Belly with Star Anise

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-08 · Updated 2026-08-08

Tender pork belly slowly braised in a richly flavoured soy and star anise broth until melt-in-your-mouth soft and glossy. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 85 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 3, 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
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 2 whole star anise
• 4 ginger slices
• 2 cups water
• 2 stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces scallions

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut 1 lb pork belly into 2-inch cubes and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
2. Step 2: Heat a wok over medium heat, add the blanched pork belly and 1 tbsp rock sugar; stir continuously until sugar melts and caramelizes, coating the pork with a rich amber glaze, about 3 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add 4 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 whole star anise, 4 slices of ginger, and 2 cups water to the wok. Bring to a boil.
4. Step 4: Add 2 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch pieces, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour until pork is tender and sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
5. Step 5: Remove star anise and scallions, plate the pork belly cubes, and spoon the reduced sauce over before serving.