If you’ve ever indulged in a plate of Hong Shao Rou, you know just how addictive this dish can be. Often translated as “Red-Braised Pork,” this melt-in-your-mouth delicacy has gained legendary status in Chinese cuisine and has developed distinct versions across different regions and even countries.
What is Hong Shao Rou?
Hong Shao Rou is a classic Chinese dish originating from the Jiangnan region, particularly Hunan and Shanghai. This dish features succulent pork belly slow-cooked in a rich, savoury sauce, with its hallmark being the glossy, caramelised glaze that perfectly balances sweet and savoury flavours. It has also influenced Dong Po Rou, a similar dish derived from Hong Shao Rou but prepared using a different cooking method.
Why is Hong Shao Rou So Addictive?
It’s easy to understand why Hong Shao Rou is so addictive once you take a bite. Here are a few reasons why this dish keeps you coming back for more:
The Texture: The combination of fatty and lean meat in pork belly is what makes this dish unique. After hours of slow braising, the fat becomes buttery and tender, while the meat stays juicy. This melt-in-your-mouth experience is a huge part of its allure.
The Balance of Flavours: The perfect blend of soy sauce and caramelised sugar creates an intoxicating balance of sweet and savoury that makes every bite satisfying. The Shaoxing wine adds a depth of flavour, cutting through the richness of the pork.
Umami and Aromatics: Star anise, ginger, and other spices infuse the pork with a deep umami flavour. Combined with the rich soy-based sauce, it’s the perfect umami bomb that hits all the right notes.
The Glaze: The final gloss that forms on the pork as it reduces in the sauce is not just aesthetically pleasing but also enhances the flavour and texture, leaving you licking the spoon long after the last bite.
While it’s most famous in China, this dish has evolved and inspired variations in different East and Southeast Asian countries, where it takes on local twists.
Taiwan: In Taiwan, you might come across Lu Rou Fan, a dish inspired by Hong Shao Rou but featuring minced pork belly served over rice. This version incorporates a blend of spices and shallots to create a deep umami flavour while retaining the same caramelised richness.
Vietnam: In Vietnam, Thịt Kho Tàu is a similar dish to Hong Shao Rou, but with coconut water for added sweetness and lightness, along with hard-boiled eggs that absorb the flavourful sauce. It shares the same tender texture but with a subtler balance of sweetness and richness.
Japan: A similar dish, Kakuni, shares the love for braised pork belly, but with a lighter, slightly sweeter soy-based broth.
Each version maintains the core concept of slow braising pork belly, but the flavours shift depending on local preferences for sweetness, spice, or umami.
Why Use the Instant Pot?
Hong Shao Rou is traditionally slow-cooked and can take hours to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. However, using an Instant Pot significantly cuts down the cooking time without sacrificing its signature flavours. The pressure cooking function speeds up the braising process, while still delivering that luscious, buttery texture and deep, savoury glaze that makes Hong Shao Rou so irresistible.
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Instant Pot Multi-Cooker 5.7L
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Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou
Ingredients
- 1 pork belly (about 340g) slice into large cubes
- 2-3 tbsp rock sugar or substitute with sugar if you don’t have
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp cooking wine
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp sugar for seasoning
- 200 ml hot water
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- Spring onion for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan over medium-low heat, pan-fry the pork belly cubes without oil until slightly golden brown (avoid over-frying).
- Remove the pork belly from the pan. Add vegetable oil if needed, then add rock sugar and stir until caramelised.
- Return the pork belly cubes to the pan, coating them evenly in the caramel. Add soy sauce and cooking wine, stirring to combine.
- Transfer everything to an Instant Pot, add hot water, and set to “Pressure Cook” on high for 20 minutes.
- Once done, carefully release the pressure.
- Open the lid, select the “Sauté” function, and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Serve over rice, garnish with spring onions, and enjoy!
Video
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