Braised Pork Belly Slices Lu Rou (chunky style)
Braised Pork Belly Slices Lu Rou (chunky style)
Classic DishBraised Pork Rice
Prep: 20 min • Cook: 120 min. A richer, festive variation on Taiwanese lu rou: thick slices of pork belly are seared, caramelized with rock sugar and slowly braised in dark soy, Shaoxing wine and Chinese five-spice until meltingly tender. The long, low simmer concentrates the sauce into a glossy, slightly sweet jus that clings to the chunky pork; serve spooned over hot steamed rice with a scattering of scallions or quick pickles for contrast.
- Preparation time
- 20 min
- Cooking time
- 2 hrs
- Total time
- 2 hrs 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Instructions
Prepare
- 1Pat pork belly slices dry with paper towel; trim any excessively thick skin if desired and season lightly with a pinch of salt.
- 2Peel and prepare aromatics: smash garlic, slice ginger, halve shallots, and measure spices and sauces.
Braise
- 1In a wide heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, dry-sear pork belly in batches until browned on both sides and some fat renders, about 6–8 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
- 2Drain excess fat leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot. Add rock sugar and cook, stirring, until it dissolves and turns a deep amber caramel.
- 3Add shallots, ginger and garlic and stir briefly to coat in the caramel, then return pork to the pot and toss to glaze.
- 4Pour in shaoxing wine to deglaze, then add dark soy sauce, Chinese five-spice and warm water (or light stock) to nearly cover the pork.
- 5Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially and braise gently for 1.5–2 hours, turning once, until pork is tender and fat is soft.
- 6Uncover, increase heat to medium and reduce the braising liquid until glossy and slightly thickened, spooning the sauce over the pork as it reduces.
Finish & serve
- 1Discard star anise and large ginger pieces if preferred. Adjust seasoning with a splash of soy or a pinch of sugar if needed.
- 2Serve chunky braised pork spooned over hot steamed rice, drizzle with reduced jus and garnish with chopped scallions or quick pickles.
Nutrition Information
- Calories
- 721 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Fat
- 56 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 721 kcal |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Fat | 56 g |
| Carbs | 13 g |
Tips
- Trim and slice pork belly into even pieces so they cook uniformly and render fat consistently during braising.
- Maintain a gentle simmer and skim any foam; slow, steady heat produces a glossy sauce and melt-in-mouth pork.
- For best contrast, serve with bright pickled vegetables or blanched greens and spoon extra jus over the rice.
