Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe

 

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly (Kong Rou) is a comforting and hearty dish beloved in Taiwan. Unlike the similar “Lu Rou,” this version features larger slices of pork belly that soak up a rich, aromatic soy-based braising liquid. The tender pork and savory boiled eggs make it a perfect meal to enjoy any time you crave authentic Taiwanese flavors.

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 pounds pork belly with skin, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 slices ginger
1 bulb shallot, sliced
6 cloves garlic
2 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
6 cups water
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 cinnamon stick
2 pods star anise
8 boiled eggs

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Instructions

1. Brown the pork belly:

• Heat avocado oil in a pan over high heat. Add pork belly pieces and pan-fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pork belly and reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil.

2. Stir-fry aromatics and sugar:

• In a pot over medium heat, add the reserved oil. Stir-fry ginger, shallot, garlic, and scallions until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue stirring until it lightly browns, about 3 minutes.

3. Build the braising liquid:

• Pour in water and increase heat to high. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.

4. Simmer the pork:

• Lower heat to low, return pork belly to the pot, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Add eggs and finish braising:

• Uncover the pot, add boiled eggs, and skim off any excess oil on the surface.
• Cover and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes until pork is tender and flavorful.

Tips & notes

• Use pork belly with skin: The skin adds extra texture and richness to the dish as it braises.
• Don’t skip browning: Pan-frying the pork belly first develops deeper flavor through caramelization.
• Simmer gently: Keep the heat low while braising to ensure tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork.
• Make ahead: This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen, so consider making it ahead and reheating gently.