Braised Pork Belly and Eggs with Soy Sauce & Spices
Braised Pork Belly and Eggs with Soy Sauce & Spices
Ingredients
For the Braised Pork Belly
- 800 g pork belly, skin on, cut into 2 cm thick pieces
- 5 large hard boiled eggs, shelled
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, as needed for stir-frying and caramelizing
For the Aromatics
- 5 garlic cloves, peels on and crushed lightly
- 4 slices ginger
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole brown/black cardamom
- 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
- 2 coriander roots
- 3 spring onions, white part
For the Seasoning
- 1/4 cup rock sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4-1/3 cup light/dark soy sauce, to taste
- 1 tablespoon thick caramel soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rose wine or Shao Xing wine
- 4 cups hot water, as needed to submerge pork
Instructions
- 1
If not already done, prepare the hard-boiled eggs: bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Immediately transfer the cooked eggs to an ice bath and let them cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, gently shell the eggs.
⏱️ 20 min
- 2
Select a good quality rasher cut of pork belly with distinct layers of fat and lean meat. Cut the pork belly into 2 cm thick pieces.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cut pork belly pieces and scald for 5 minutes. This step helps to remove impurities and excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100
- 4
After scalding, drain the pork belly pieces and wash them thoroughly under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add the aromatics: crushed garlic cloves (peels on), ginger slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, whole brown/black cardamom, Szechuan peppercorns, coriander roots, and white parts of spring onions. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add the cleaned pork belly pieces to the pot with the fragrant aromatics. Drizzle with a small amount of the light/dark soy sauce (about 1 tablespoon) and stir to combine, allowing the pork to lightly brown for 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
In a separate clean pot or pan, add the 1/4 cup of rock sugar or brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and caramelizes into a rich amber color. Be careful not to burn it.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Carefully transfer the pork and aromatic mixture into the pot with the caramelized sugar. Stir well to ensure all the pork pieces are evenly coated with the caramel.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Pour enough hot water into the pot to submerge the pork belly. Add the remaining seasoning: 1/4-1/3 cup light/dark soy sauce (adjust to your preference), 1 tablespoon thick caramel soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon rose wine or Shao Xing wine. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes, allowing the pork to tenderize and absorb the flavors.
⏱️ 45 min
- 11
After 45 minutes, add the shelled hard-boiled eggs to the pot. Increase the heat slightly, remove the lid, and continue to simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. This allows the gravy to reduce and become glossy, and the eggs to soak up the rich braising liquid.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more soy sauce, sugar, or wine to your preference. If you prefer more gravy, you can add extra hot water and a light slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) to thicken it. Serve hot with steamed rice.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Braised Pork Belly and Eggs with Soy Sauce & Spices
For the Braised Pork Belly
- 800 g pork belly, skin on, cut into 2 cm thick pieces
- 5 large hard boiled eggs, shelled
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, as needed for stir-frying and caramelizing
For the Aromatics
- 5 garlic cloves, peels on and crushed lightly
- 4 slices ginger
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 whole brown/black cardamom
- 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
- 2 coriander roots
- 3 spring onions, white part
For the Seasoning
- 1/4 cup rock sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4-1/3 cup light/dark soy sauce, to taste
- 1 tablespoon thick caramel soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rose wine or Shao Xing wine
- 4 cups hot water, as needed to submerge pork
Instructions
- 1
If not already done, prepare the hard-boiled eggs: bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Immediately transfer the cooked eggs to an ice bath and let them cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, gently shell the eggs.
⏱️ 20 min - 2
Select a good quality rasher cut of pork belly with distinct layers of fat and lean meat. Cut the pork belly into 2 cm thick pieces.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cut pork belly pieces and scald for 5 minutes. This step helps to remove impurities and excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100 - 4
After scalding, drain the pork belly pieces and wash them thoroughly under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add the aromatics: crushed garlic cloves (peels on), ginger slices, star anise, cinnamon sticks, whole brown/black cardamom, Szechuan peppercorns, coriander roots, and white parts of spring onions. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add the cleaned pork belly pieces to the pot with the fragrant aromatics. Drizzle with a small amount of the light/dark soy sauce (about 1 tablespoon) and stir to combine, allowing the pork to lightly brown for 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
In a separate clean pot or pan, add the 1/4 cup of rock sugar or brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and caramelizes into a rich amber color. Be careful not to burn it.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Carefully transfer the pork and aromatic mixture into the pot with the caramelized sugar. Stir well to ensure all the pork pieces are evenly coated with the caramel.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Pour enough hot water into the pot to submerge the pork belly. Add the remaining seasoning: 1/4-1/3 cup light/dark soy sauce (adjust to your preference), 1 tablespoon thick caramel soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon rose wine or Shao Xing wine. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes, allowing the pork to tenderize and absorb the flavors.
⏱️ 45 min - 11
After 45 minutes, add the shelled hard-boiled eggs to the pot. Increase the heat slightly, remove the lid, and continue to simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. This allows the gravy to reduce and become glossy, and the eggs to soak up the rich braising liquid.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more soy sauce, sugar, or wine to your preference. If you prefer more gravy, you can add extra hot water and a light slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) to thicken it. Serve hot with steamed rice.
⏱️ 5 min