Published Jan 06, 2012 Updated Nov 03, 2024 And Chinese people are especially partial to pork belly, for its rich taste, tender texture, and all its fatty glory, making it a special ingredient in many traditional dishes. Chinese cuisine also highly favors braising, especially with pork belly. It is ideal for braising because its layers of fat and meat soak up the savory sauce. The slow-cooking method also makes the pork belly tender, full of rich flavors, and literally melt in the mouth. As a result, Chinese braised pork belly dishes are favorite comfort foods in Chinese homes. In this post, I am going to teach you all how to make Dongpo rou, or Dongpo Pork, the braised pork belly well loved by many! Dongpo pork is an iconic feature of Hangzhou (杭州) cuisine and can be attributed to Su Shi (苏轼) a.k.a Su Dongpo (苏东坡), a scholar and court official during the Song Dynasty (宋朝), renowned today for his brilliance in poetry, calligraphy, and writings in Chinese literary history. There was a time when Su Dongpo was demoted for criticizing the emperor and sent to Huangzhou (黄州) in exile. One day, he was so engrossed in a game of Chinese chess (象棋) with an old friend that he forgot all about the Red-Cooked Pork Belly “Hong Shao Rou” (红烧肉) braising on his stove. The fragrant aroma from the lengthy braising drifting in from the kitchen suddenly reminded him. As he took a bite of the pork, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the dish he thought had been ruined turned out to be even more tender and tastier than expected. Dongpo pork was thus born. When he was later stationed in Hangzhou (杭州) and was overseeing a reconstruction project on the West Lake (西湖), he cooked the same dish with the pork cut up into cubes and distributed them to the workers as a sign of gratitude. The dish was thoroughly enjoyed by all and Dong Po Rou rapidly gained popularity then and there right up to the present day, where it has become a notable signature dish in Hangzhou cuisine and famous all around the world. In other words, this is one dish that is definitely worth the wait and patience is key!
Pork belly – skin on pork belly. Ginger Soy sauce Dark soy sauce Shaoxing wine Rock sugar – this the secret ingredient that gives the glossy appearance and sweet flavor to the Dongpo Pork sauce. Scallion
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients. However, my personal favorite is serving it with steamed buns (mantou) or scallion buns as I can sop up the scrumptious sauce with the fluffy buns. If you don’t like steamed buns, you can certainly serve with scallion pancakes. For a wholesome Chinese meal, I also suggest pairing the pork with a plate of stir-fried vegetables such as: bok choy chicken or garlic bok choy. If you want to have a fancier dinner, especially if you are hosting your friends, I suggest a spread of iconic Chinese dishes below. Enjoy! I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
