Dongpo Pork (Chinese Soy-Braised Melt-in-Mouth Pork Belly)
Dongpo rou is a Chinese-style pork belly braised slowly in soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, ginger, and green onion. Long cooking over low heat renders the fat layers translucent and meltingly soft, while the lean portions turn a deep mahogany from the soy and sugar. Rice wine drives off any porkiness and ginger sharpens the finish, though the dominant impression is a sweet, deeply savory richness. Named after the Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo, the dish is meant to be appreciated for the luxurious texture of the rendered fat as much as for its flavor.
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Instructions
- 1
Cut pork belly into large blocks, blanch, then sear skin side.
- 2
Line the pot with green onion and ginger.
- 3
Place pork on top and add soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and water.
- 4
Braise gently for 2 hours on low heat.
- 5
Reduce the sauce until glossy, then slice and serve.
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