Slow-Cooked Red Braised Pork Belly

This is one of the most common Chinese household dishes. You almost never find this dish in restaurants because it takes a long time to cook and because it is gloriously fatty. Serve with steamed rice and your choice of vegetable.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 7 hr
• Total Time: 7 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 680 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• water to cover
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 1 ½ pounds pork belly, cut into bite-size pieces
• ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine
• 4 scallions, halved
• 4 star anise pods
• ½ (8 ounce) package vegetarian chicken substitute, diced (Optional)
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pork belly; cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until sugar is melted. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Add dark soy sauce; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Transfer pork mixture to a slow cooker. Add rice wine, light soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and star anise. Pour in enough water to just cover the pork.

Step 4

Cook on Low until pork is tender, about 6 hours. Add diced chicken substitute, hard-boiled eggs, and more water to cover.

Step 5

Cook on Low until eggs absorb cooking liquid, rotating halfway through, about 1 hour more.