Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly

Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly Recipe

Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly, also known as “Hong Shao Rou” (红烧肉), is a delightful dish featuring tender pork belly enveloped in a caramelized, rich, and flavorful red sauce made from soy sauce, sake, and an array of Chinese spices.

The succulent braised pork belly is coated in a savory sake-infused sauce, offering a burst of flavor in every delectable bite. Its “melt-in-your-mouth” texture makes it an irresistible dish that is enjoyed by everyone in the family.

“Hong Shao Rou” is one of the most popular dishes in China, and each family has their own unique way of cooking. The secret of this homemade Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly recipe is the sake. This traditional Japanese rice wine brings a unique umami-rich taste and balances out the savory sauce with a natural sweetness. It also helps to tenderize the meat and adds a delicate aroma to the final dish.

Looking for more variations of how to cook pork belly? Don’t miss out on these two delicious recipes, Red-cooked Pork Belly and Braised Pork Belly in Soy Sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

This easy Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly recipe ensures the best taste with effortless preparation. It requires only a minimum of ingredients that are easy to access from local grocery stores.

The rich yet harmoniously balanced flavor of this dish pairs perfectly with hot steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables, creating a wholesome meal that no one can resist.

This recipe is also versatile and can be adapted to meet your personal taste. The use of sake adds an umami flavor to the dish, but it can be substituted with beer for variation. To enhance the flavor with a touch of spiciness, you may also add some crushed dried chili pepper while braising the pork.

Recipe Ingredients

This easy homemade Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly recipe only calls for a few simple ingredients:

• Pork belly- This cut offers the perfect combination of tender meat and chewy, rich layers of fat. When cooked, the meat becomes tender and juicy, absorbing all the flavor from the sauce and melt-in-your-mouth in every bit.
• Ginger, scallion and garlic- They’re excellent for eliminating any strong meat odors during cooking.
• Rock sugar- It adds a sweet and savory taste to the dish which also helps balance out the flavors and enhances the overall taste profile.
• Star anise and bay leaves- both ingredients add a unique flavor to the dish. These two dry herbs also contain natural enzymes that can help to tenderize the meat during cooking.
• Light soy sauce- Choose low-sodium soy sauce for the best taste.
• Dark soy sauce- It adds a rich color to the dish and also enhances the flavor.
• Sake- You may use sake or Chinese Shaoxing wine as a substitute.

How To Make Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly

First, add pork belly cubes to a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring it to a boil, and blanch the meat for a few minutes to remove the impurities. Remove the pork from the saucepan, and rinse with water. Drain the pork and set aside.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add pork belly to the pot and cook until lightly browned on each side. The cooked pork belly should release enough oil at this point.

Stir in ginger, scallion, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Then, add rock sugar, star anise, bay leaves, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sake. Stir well to coat the meat evenly with the sauce. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of hot water or enough to just cover the meat. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and braise the pork for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally while cooking to prevent the pork from sticking to the bottom.

Once the pork is cooked to fork tender and the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Dish out. Serve immediately with freshly sliced scallion garnished on top.

Cooking Tips

For authentic Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly, please follow my tips below:

• Choose the leaner pork belly for this recipe if you prefer less oil in the final dish.
• Blanching the pork before cooking helps to remove the impurities.  
• Searing the pork belly in the pot without extra oil reduces greasiness and adds a crisp exterior. 
• You may reduce the sweetness by cutting the rock sugar to half. Rock sugar can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. 
• Sake can be substituted with beer in this recipe. Braise pork belly with beer will not only bring a depth of flavor to the dish but also help to tenderize the meat while cooking. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Calories Per Serving?

This recipe has 651 per serving.