This Chinese braised pork belly, or Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉), was my absolute favorite dish growing up. Cubes of pork belly get seared in caramelized sugar, then braised with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, and potatoes until the sauce turns thick, shiny, and sticky. It takes about an hour and serves 4 to 5 with rice.

This is a true family recipe. It’s been cooked in my family for generations, slowly refined over time, and now I get to share my version with you, all the way from China to my kitchen here in the U.S. Honestly, it makes me a little emotional writing about it.

Juicy caramelized pork belly in a glossy, sticky sauce on a blue plate
Juicy caramelized pork belly in a glossy, sticky sauce on a blue plate

A Quick Look At The Recipe

  • Recipe Name: Chinese Braised Pork Belly {Hong Shao Rou with Potatoes}
  • Ready In: 55 minutes
  • Serves: 4 -5
  • Main Ingredients: pork belly, vegetable oil, sugar, soy sauce (low sodium), Lao Chou (dark soy sauce), Liao Jiu (Chinese cooking rice wine, can be substituted for red wine), oyster sauce, salt or to taste
  • Why You'll Love It: My family's Hong Shao Rou: pork belly seared in caramelized sugar, then braised with soy sauce, rice wine, and potatoes until the sauce is thick, glossy, and sticky.

SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON

ChatGPT Gemini ✓ Copied — paste in Gemini Claude
Add me as a trusted Google source

What Makes My Family’s Hong Shao Rou Special

红烧肉 literally means “red-cooked pork,” and it’s one of the most beloved pork dishes in Chinese cooking. Every family has their own small tweaks to the ratios and techniques. And while I may be biased, I truly believe my family’s version is exceptional.

The secret is the sear. My mom always pan fries the pork belly a little longer than most recipes call for, a full 5 minutes in the caramelized sugar. That extra time crisps the outside and renders out more fat, so the pork comes out rich and silky without tasting greasy. In Chinese we describe it as 满嘴流油, melting in your mouth in the best possible way.

Tips Before You Start

  • Pick pork belly with even layers of meat and fat, and cut it into 1-inch cubes so every piece has both.
  • Don’t skip the 5-minute boil. It pulls out the scum so your sauce stays clean and glossy.
  • Pat the pork completely dry before it goes into the oil. Wet pork splatters like crazy.
  • Stir the sugar the whole time and add the pork as soon as it turns amber. A few seconds past that and it turns bitter.
  • Add boiling water for the braise. Cold water makes the pork tighten up.
sticky meat covered in an authentic Asian sauce

The Plot Twist: Potatoes

Ready for the plot twist? Potatoes.

Traditionally, Hong Shao Rou is made with pork belly only. But in my family, potatoes are non-negotiable, and honestly, they might be the best part.

They soak up the sauce, the rendered pork fat, and all that savory sweetness until they’re impossibly soft and glossy. I add them after the pork is seared so they cook through without falling apart. I haven’t had many Western dishes that treat potatoes this way, and once you try it, you’ll understand why we never skip them.

The yellow onion is another one of my family twists. It’s optional, but it melts right into the sauce.

How to Make Chinese Braised Pork Belly

Scroll down to the full recipe card for exact amounts and instructions! ⬇️

Raw pork belly cubes in one bowl and boiled, drained pork belly in another

Cut the pork belly into 1-inch cubes. Add it to a large pot, cover with water, and boil for 5 minutes. Skim off the foam, drain, and pat the pork dry.

Sugar caramelizing to amber in hot oil in a wok

Heat the oil in a wok until shimmering, then add the sugar. Stir constantly over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns amber.

Pork belly cubes stir frying with ginger and onion

Add the pork belly and stir fry for 5 minutes. Then add the ginger, the white part of the green onion, and the yellow onion if you’re using it. Stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Pork belly, potatoes, ginger, and onion in the wok before braising

Add the potatoes, then the boiling water, soy sauce, Lao Chou (dark soy sauce), Liao Jiu (rice wine), oyster sauce, and salt. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce reduces to a thick, shiny, syrupy glaze.

Easy Swaps

No Liao Jiu? Red wine works in a pinch. Can’t find Lao Chou? Use a little more regular soy sauce instead. The color won’t be as deep and red, but the flavor is still there. And if you’re using regular soy sauce instead of low sodium, go easy on the salt.

My Favorite Way to Serve Hong Shao Rou

A bowl of braised pork belly over jasmine rice with chopsticks

Spoon it over a big bowl of warm rice and make sure every scoop gets plenty of sticky sauce and a few of those potatoes.

For a full Chinese dinner at home, add my dad’s Chinese cucumber salad for something cool and crunchy, and Chinese scallion pancakes to mop up the sauce. My authentic Chinese sticky tofu is a great meatless dish to put next to it.

Sticky Chinese braised pork belly on a blue plate

I hope you love my family’s Hong Shao Rou as much as I do. If you have questions, leave a comment below!

sticky meat covered in an authentic Asian sauce

Get the recipe:Chinese Braised Pork Belly {Hong Shao Rou with Potatoes}

Yield: 4 -5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
My family’s Hong Shao Rou: pork belly seared in caramelized sugar, then braised with soy sauce, rice wine, and potatoes until the sauce is thick, glossy, and sticky.
4.91 stars (10 reviews)
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb pork belly
  • 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar

Braising liquid

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
  • 1 tbsp Lao Chou, dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Liao Jiu, Chinese cooking rice wine, can be substituted for red wine
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water or broth

Aromatics

  • 1 stalk green onion, chopped, green and white parts seperated
  • 2 inches of fresh ginger, largely sliced
  • 1/4 yellow onion, largely chopped (optional)

Optional

  • 2 medium potatoes, cubed

Instructions 

  • Cut the pork belly into 1 inch-size cubes. Try to make sure there is both meat and fat on each cube. 
  • Add the pork belly into a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. 
    cubes of pork in bowls. one bowl has raw meat, the other one has boiled meat in it
  • Using a strainer or spoon, remove the scum (or the foam) on top. 
  • Drain the pork belly using a strainer. Pat the pork belly dry with a paper towel.
  • Heat the oil in a wok (a large pan or pot works too) until shimmering and then add the sugar. Cook the sugar over medium to high heat, continue to stir to create caramelization for 2-3 min or until the color is amber. Make sure to stir constantly to prevent burning. 
    sugar is being caramelized in oil
  • Add the pork belly in and stir fry for 5 minutes on medium heat.
  • Add ginger, the white part of the green onion (leave the green part for garnish), and the yellow onion (if using any). Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add the cubed potatoes and stir well.
    meat, ginger, potatoes, and onions are being pan fried
  • Add 1.5 cups of boiling water, soy sauce, Lao Chou (dark soy sauce), Liao Jiu (rice wine), oyster sauce, and salt to the pot. 
  • Close the lid and cook for 25 – 30 minutes or until the sauce has been reduced to a thick, shiny, syrupy liquid. 
  • Garnish with green onion, and enjoy!

Notes

* If you choose to use regular soy sauce, you can add less salt to taste.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 439kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 24g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 937mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese