Dong Po Rou — Dongpo Pork

Hangzhou's famous pork belly squares slow-braised in Shaoxing wine and soy until spoon-tender.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2h 45m
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 1kg skin-on pork belly, in one flat piece, cut into 8 squares about 5cm
  • 6 spring onions, thick white parts only, plus 2 extra, finely sliced, to garnish
  • 8 slices fresh ginger
  • 250ml Shaoxing rice wine
  • 100ml water
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 60g rock sugar (or caster sugar)
  • 1 star anise
  • Kitchen string
  • To serve: steamed rice and blanched pak choi

Method

  1. Put the pork in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and pat dry. Tie each square both ways with kitchen string so they hold their shape.

  2. Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Line the base of a heavy lidded casserole with the 6 whole spring onions and ginger slices.

  3. Arrange the pork squares on top, skin side down, in one snug layer.

  4. Mix the Shaoxing wine, water, both soy sauces and sugar and pour around the pork. Add the star anise. Bring to a gentle simmer on the hob.

  5. Cover with a tight lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the pork skin side up and cook for a further 1 hour 30 minutes, until the pork is so tender it can be cut with a spoon.

  6. Lift the pork out gently and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a pan, skim off the fat, and boil hard for 8 to 10 minutes until reduced to a glossy sauce.

  7. Remove the string, spoon the sauce over the pork and scatter with spring onions. Serve with rice and blanched pak choi.