Red Braised Pork Belly（红烧肉）

This recipe is different then the others I have previously posted. Unlike the others, this is my mom's recipe instead of my own. I've been eating this throughout my entire life, and its always delicious. Unless you make this every single day, I personally believe you won't get sick of it.

This recipe is super simple, and you won't have to use any crazy techniques. The two most difficult parts of this recipe is acquiring the ingredients and not eating the entire pot. But, all of these ingredients can be easily found in your local Asian grocery store. In the end, you will get pieces of savory pork that melt in your mouth and punch your tongue with flavor. The essence of the meat will spread to every corner of your mouth, and you will surely be satisfied. Alongside a bowl of rice, you've got yourself a meal. Now enough blibber blabber, on to the recipe.

Red Braised Pork Recipe:

Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1-2 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• -2lb skin on pork belly cut into medium cubes

• 1 large green onion cut into small chunks

• -3 ½ tbsp neutral oil

• ¼ cup sugar 

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 ½ tbsp dark soy

• ½ to ⅔ cup shaoxing cooking wine

• 5 or 6 star anise

• 4g dried cinnamon

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Put pork belly into pan and cover with cold water. Bring  to rolling boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water. Drain well and set aside.

2. Preheat pan to high heat. Add in all the oil and sugar. When mixture turns brown and starts to bubble, add pork belly. Coat pork belly evenly with sauce then add green onion. Sauté then add light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Cook for 30 seconds then add shaoxing cooking wine, cinnamon, star anise, and salt to taste. Let cook for a few more minutes.

3. Remove and put into pressure cooker. Add water if needed until pork is mostly covered. Turn pressure cooker to sealer and put on meat/stew. Put on high pressure for 18 minutes. Let the pressure cooker release naturally when time is up. If you do not have a pressure cooker, braise for 1 hour.

4. Put pork belly back into pan and reduce sauce by 50%. Add in sesame oil and serve.

Nutrition: