Pork belly stew Shanghai style! I love so much this recipe since my last travel in China. The pork belly is cut into big dices, then braised into Chinese cooking wine and caramelized with sweet and sour sauce. If you are planning a trip in Shanghai, go at Jian Guo 328, the restaurant where I taste for the first time this great dish. If you are not so lucky, follow my recipe and it will be like entering in a Shanghai restaurant 😉
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lb (900 gr) pork belly
- 10 spring onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup Chinese cooking wine
- 4 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 cup dark soy sauce
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- 4 star anise
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 8 tbsp brown sugar
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HOW TO CHOOSE THE PORK BELLY
If it's possible, prefer pork belly with skin as Chinese tradition wants. The skin combined with the sugar, will give at your stew more flavor, and the characteristic translucent effect.
SHAOXING CHINESE COOKING WINE
Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine is essential to obtain the authentic taste and color of the pork belly stew Shanghai style. This wine is easy to find at the Asian shops and Markets.
FIRST STEPS
Cut the pork belly in strips large 1.5-2 inches, then dice the meat into big cubes. Pour the pork belly into boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then drain and dry with paper towels. This process will remove any impurities and will tenderize the meat.
BROWN SUGAR AND PEANUT OIL
Pour the peanut oil combined with 4 tbsp of brown sugar into a wok or a pan big enough to contain the pork belly stew. Place the pan on medium/low heat.
When the sugar is well melted, add the meat. Caramelize the pork belly dices until golden brown, then add the Chinese wine and raise the flame. Cook for 5 minute stirring occasionally.
PORK BELLY STEW
Pour 2 tbsp of peanut oil into a thick-bottomed heavy pot. Cut the spring onions into slices thick ¼ inch, and peel and crush the cloves of garlic.
Slice also the fresh ginger into thin slices. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, stir-fry 5 minuts the vegetables combined with the star anice, and the clove, and the ginger slices.
Now, pour the meat with wine and soy sauces into the pot. The liquid have to reach ¾ the height of the meat pile, if not add hot vegetable broth.
Cover the pot with a lid and set the heat in order to gently simmering the pork belly stew. Cook a couple of hours until the meat is extremely soft, but the fat stripes are not melted.
CARAMELIZED CHINESE SAUCE
When the pork belly stew is ready, drain the meat piece and place into a bowl covered with aluminum foil.
Now, add 4 tbsp of sugar, raise the flame and bring the sauce to simmer until obtaining a thick sauce.
Finally, pour again the the meat into the sauce, low the heat at minimum, and cook 15 minutes more.
FINISHING
Serve the pork belly stew with white rice and stir-fried vegetables. The pork belly stew is great just cooked, but it is even better the day after! Just remember to warm it at very low flame, otherwise the meat will be a little gristly.
Conserve the pork belly stew into the fridge up to 3 days.
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My foodie travel in Beijing , China - Chinese cuisine
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PORK BELLY STEW Shanghai stile
Pork belly stew Shanghai style! I love so much this recipe since my last travel in China. The pork belly is cut into big dices, then braised into Chinese cooking wine and caramelized with sweet and sour sauce. If you are planning a trip in Shanghai, go at Jian Guo 328, the restaurant where I taste for the first time this great dish. If you are not so lucky, follow my recipe and it will be like entering in a Shanghai restaurant 😉
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork belly (900 gr)
- 10 spring onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup Chinese cooking wine
- 4 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 cup dark soy sauce
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- 4 star anise
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cloves
- 8 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
HOW TO CHOOSE THE PORK BELLY
- If it's possible, prefer pork belly with skin as Chinese tradition wants. The skin combined with the sugar, will give at your stew more flavor, and the characteristic translucent effect.
SHAOXING CHINESE COOKING WINE
- Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine is essential to obtain the authentic taste and color of the pork belly stew Shanghai style. This wine is easy to find at the Asian shops and Markets.
FIRST STEPS
- Cut the pork belly in strips large 1.5-2 inches, then dice the meat into big cubes.
- Pour the pork belly into boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then drain and dry with paper towels. This process will remove any impurities and will tenderize the meat.
BROWN SUGAR AND PEANUT OIL
- Pour the peanut oil combined with 4 tbsp of brown sugar into a wok or a pan big enough to contain the pork belly stew.
- Place the pan on medium/low heat. When the sugar is well melted, add the meat.
- Caramelize the pork belly dices until golden brown, then add the Chinese wine and raise the flame.
- Cook for 5 minute stirring occasionally.
PORK BELLY STEW
- Pour 2 tbsp of peanut oil into a thick-bottomed heavy pot.
- Cut the spring onions into slices thick ¼ inch, and peel and crush the cloves of garlic.
- Slice also the fresh ginger into thin slices.
- When the oil is hot, but not smoking, stir-fry 5 minutes the vegetables combined with the star anise, and the clove, and the ginger slices.
- Now, pour the meat with wine and soy sauces into the pot.
- The liquid have to reach ¾ the height of the meat pile, if not add hot vegetable broth.
- Cover the pot with a lid and set the heat in order to gently simmering the pork belly stew.
- Cook a couple of hours until the meat is extremely soft, but the fat stripes are not melted.
CARAMELIZED CHINESE SAUCE
- When the pork belly stew is ready, drain the meat piece and place into a bowl covered with aluminum foil.
- Now, add 4 tbsp of sugar raise the flame and bring the sauce to simmer until obtaining a thick sauce.
- Finally, pour again the the meat into the sauce, low the heat at minimum, and cook 15 minutes more.
FINISHING
- Serve the pork belly stew with white rice and stir-fried vegetables.
- The pork belly stew is great just cooked, but it is even better the day after! Just remember to warm it at very low flame, otherwise the meat will be a little gristly.
- Conserve the pork belly stew into the fridge up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 504Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 95mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 2gSugar 12gProtein 32g
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What do I do with the other 8 tablespoons of sugar?
Thanks for noticing Andy. There was a typo in the description, i just correct that!
In the ingredients list, you have 4 cloves of garlic and then at the bottom you just say 2 cloves. Is that two more cloves of garlic? or is that a typo?
Hi Sarah,
When I write just cloves or clove, I mean the spice.
Happy cooking!
Ref: Cloves description
Looks delicious!! Going to try it for new year!
Cool I really hope you'll like it 🙂
F.
Yumy..
I'm glad you liked it Yanti!
Happy cooking 🙂
F.
Amazing website and Delicious recipes
Thank you Yasua!
Happy cooking 🙂
F.
I made this last night. Delicious. Next time (and there will be a next go time for sure) I will use salt reduced soy sauce. Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks Mike, I'm glad you liked it!
Happy cooking 🙂
F.
The ultimate pork belly recipe
Thank you Kerry!
Happy cooking 🙂
F.
I would love to have that recipe please
Hi Mark,
It's at the end of the post 🙂
Happy cooking!
F.
We love this pork stew and recommend you try making it, we loved it