Shanghai Red-Braised Pork Belly

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork belly
   Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pork belly pieces and boil for 3-4 minutes to remove any impurities. Drain and rinse the pork under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Caramelize the sugar
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large clay pot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the rock sugar and stir until it melts and turns amber in color, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Brown the pork
   Add the pork belly pieces to the caramelized sugar. Stir to coat each piece with the caramel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add aromatics and liquids
   Pour in the Shaoxing wine and stir to deglaze the pot. Add both light and dark soy sauces, water or chicken broth, ginger, green onions, star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
5. Braise the pork
   Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the pork is very tender when pierced with a fork. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
6. Reduce the sauce
   After the pork is tender, remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens and reduces by about half, approximately 15-20 minutes. The sauce should coat the pork pieces with a glossy sheen.
7. Serve
   Remove the star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and ginger slices. Transfer the pork and sauce to a serving dish. Traditionally served with steamed white rice and blanched greens like bok choy or Chinese broccoli.