Legend has it that red pork was Mao’s favorite dish. True legend or not, red pork remains one of the most popular dishes in China. It also exists in other Asian cultures in different versions, but it is truly integrated into Chinese cuisine.
Generally, some spices are added, but after quite a few tests, I realized that red pork could exist in a simplified version without altering the taste. So I’m pleased to present my super simple recipe!
Warning, I must warn you, this sweet/savory dish is one of the best that exists, and the risk of addiction is very real. Other names: braised pork, caramel pork. To learn more about this fascinating dish, click here!
The main ingredients of red pork
Shaoxing wine: an essential element for the authentic taste of Chinese caramel pork, you can learn more about it and its substitutes in my complete article on the subject
Light and dark soy sauce: both are essential to the dish! The light one will bring saltiness and the dark one will bring depth and especially the typical red color of the dish. You can learn more about the different soy sauces here
Pork belly: be careful not to use salted pork belly, I made the mistake once and… let’s just say I was very, very thirsty hahaha
Tips for successful Chinese caramel pork
If you’re feeling lazy, skip steps 1, 2, and 3 and just brown the pork belly over high heat and add all the rest of the ingredients at once, then let it simmer.
You’ll lose a bit in appearance and texture, but it will be almost without dishes or hassle.
It’s very important to let the pork cook until it’s tender and the liquid is caramelized. Depending on the initial quantity, it can take a while, but believe me, it’s worth the wait.
How to accompany red pork?
As the taste is very strong, it should be accompanied by simple things. This can be steamed white rice, or fried rice or Cantonese rice
If you like the sweetness of this recipe, you’ll love my sweet and sour pork! But I also have an express version of red pork that you can find here
Ingredients
- 1 kg of pork belly, preferably unsalted
- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 9 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoon of light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 cups of hot water (or enough to cover 3/4 of the pork)
Procédé
- Start by cutting your pork belly into pieces of the desired thickness if you bought a block.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the pork belly pieces for a few minutes. Remove the pork from the pot, rinse and set aside.
- On low heat, add oil and sugar to your wok. Melt the sugar slightly and add the pork. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is lightly browned.
- Lower the heat to low and add the Shaoxing cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and hot water.
- Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until the pork is tender (some simmer the red pork for 4 hours!). Every 5 to 10 minutes, stir to prevent burning and add more water if it becomes too dry.
- Once the pork is tender, if there is still a lot of visible liquid, uncover the wok, increase the heat and stir continuously until the sauce has reduced to a nice thick consistency (like caramel).
- Serve with rice
