Braised Pork Belly

Braised Pork Belly 东坡肉

东坡肉 Dong Po Rou, braised pork belly, is a famous JiangNan dish. It’s best cooked with skin-on pork belly, with layers of fat and lean meat. With this cooking method, the final product is tender and juicy, simply melts in you mouth. It’s not greasy, the fat part has a texture of tofu.

First step is to pick a good piece of pork belly with adequate fat layer, but enough lean meat to support the structure. In a large pot, fill with cold water. Place pork belly in the cold water and bring to a boil. Drain and discard water. Cut pork belly into 2-3 inch cubes and tie with kitchen twine. In the saute pan, place sliced ginger, spring onion on the bottom, place meat skin side down on the scallions. Add Chinese cooking wine about 2 cups, soy sauce and dark soy sauce to taste, add around 20 rock sugar cubes. Liquid should be at least covering 2/3 of the meat. Over low heat, let simmer for 2 hours, turn every 30 minutes.

At the end of 2 hour cooking time, the meat is already quite tender. Now move the pork belly gently to another bowl or similar container. Remove the grease from the sauce, and pour the rest into the bowl. Place the bowl in steamer and steam for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.