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Classic Dongpo Pork (Braised Pork Belly)

Name: Classic Dongpo Pork (Braised Pork Belly)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: pork belly; star anise; bay leaves; dried chilies; crystal sugar; cooking wine; soy sauce; dark soy sauce; green onion; ginger

groups6 servingsspeedMediumcountertopsPrep: 15 minsskilletCook: 200 minsscheduleTotal: 215 minsoutdoor_grillBraisedlocal_fire_departmentMild

Allergens:warningGlutenwarningSoy

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

7 Steps Total

Active Cooking

00:00:28

Place 2.27kg pork belly in a pot with cold water, add 20g green onions, 10g ginger slices, and 80ml cooking wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off scum, cover, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour until the pork is cooked through and firm.

local_fire_departmentBring to a boil over high heat, simmer over low heat for 1 hour

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Watch out

The pork must be placed in cold water

lower the heat promptly once boiling, otherwise vigorous boiling will cause the water to overflow

Ingredients:pork belly (2.27 kg)green onion (20 g)ginger (10 g)cooking wine (80 ml)

Tools:large stockpot

Active Cooking

00:00:56

Remove the boiled pork belly and let cool slightly, place on a cutting board, and cut with a knife into square blocks about 5 cm wide.

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Watch out

The freshly boiled pork is extremely hot and greasy

hold firmly while slicing, otherwise the knife may slip and cause burns or cuts

Ingredients:pork belly

Tools:chef's knifecutting board

Active Cooking

00:01:08

Evenly line the bottom of a claypot or cast-iron pot with 80g green onions and 40g ginger slices. Arrange the cut pork belly blocks neatly on top, skin side up.

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Watch out

The layer of green onion and ginger must be thick enough

otherwise the pork will stick to the bottom and burn during long simmering

Ingredients:green onion (80 g)ginger (40 g)pork belly

Tools:claypot

Active Cooking

00:01:25

Add 1 star anise, 3 bay leaves, and 2 dried chili peppers into the claypot. Pour in 80ml soy sauce, 80ml cooking wine, and 60ml dark soy sauce. Ladle in reserved pork boiling broth until the meat is just submerged, then add 15g crystal sugar. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 50 minutes.

local_fire_departmentBring to a boil over high heat, simmer over low heat for 50 minutes

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Watch out

Add just enough broth to cover the pork

adding too much liquid will dilute the sauce and make it difficult to thicken

Ingredients:star anise (1 piece)bay leaves (3 piece)dried chilies (2 piece)soy sauce (0.33 cup)cooking wine (80 ml)dark soy sauce (0.25 cup)crystal sugar (15 g)

Tools:claypotladle

Active Cooking

00:02:15

Open the lid and carefully flip all pork belly blocks with chopsticks so the skin side is facing down in the sauce. Cover and continue to simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. If there is excess liquid towards the end, turn up heat briefly to reduce, leaving enough sauce for drizzling.

local_fire_departmentSimmer on low heat for 45 minutes, turn up heat briefly to reduce if needed

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Watch out

The pork is very soft at this point

handle gently when flipping, otherwise the delicate skin or meat blocks may tear apart

Ingredients:pork belly

Tools:chopsticks

Active Cooking

00:02:45

Carefully transfer the cooked pork belly blocks into a deep steaming dish with chopsticks, skin side up. Add 60ml cooking wine into the remaining pot sauce, stir well with chopsticks, and spoon the rich sauce over the pork blocks.

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Watch out

Support the bottom of the pork blocks when lifting, otherwise the tender blocks may fall apart and lose their shape.

Ingredients:cooking wine (60 ml)pork belly

Tools:chopsticksladleserving dish

Active Cooking

00:03:08

warningStay safe

Use heat-resistant gloves or plate tongs when handling hot dishes in the steamer, and stand back when lifting the steamer lid to avoid steam burns. Hot steam causes severe burns easily; protect your hands when moving heated dishes.

After water in the steamer boils, place the dish with Dongpo pork inside the bamboo steamer. Cover and steam over high heat for 45 minutes until the fat renders out, the pork becomes translucent red, and melts in your mouth.

local_fire_departmentSteam over high heat for 45 minutes

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Watch out

Monitor the water level in the steamer during boiling

otherwise the water may dry up and burn the pan

Ingredients:pork belly

Tools:bamboo steameroven mitts