Lu Rou Fan
Tawainese braised pork served over rice & blanched greens.
Ethan ChlebowskiIngredients
Braising cut
- Pork belly, cubed or finely diced750 g~1.5 lb
Braising liquid
- Light soy sauce50 g1 part
- Shaoxing wine50 g1 part
- Sugar45 g~1 part
- Dark Soy Sauce25 g1/2 part
- Wateras needed
Aromatic base & spices
- Shallots, thinly sliced & fried3
- Fresh ginger, sliced into coins6 slices
- Garlic, chopped3 cloves
- Bay Leaves1
- Star anise1
- Cinnamon sticks1
- Chinese Five Spicea sprinkle
- White peppera sprinkle
Serving options
- Short grain rice, steamed
- Bok choy, blanched
- Chinese broccoli, blanched
- Eggs, hard-boiled
- Scallions, sliced
Method
Step 1: Render the pork belly
Add the chopped pork belly to a braising vessel (Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot) and begin rendering the fat over medium heat.
Step 2: Optional — fry the shallots
Add thinly sliced shallots to a small pan or pot and barely submerge in oil. Bring the heat up and until golden brown. Remove & drain shallots.
Alternatively, add shallots directly to the pot with the pork belly and allow to in the rendering fat.
Step 3: Bloom aromatics & spices
Once the pork has rendered some of its fat and is beginning to take on some color, add the garlic, ginger slices, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, star anise, 5 spice powder, and white pepper.
Stir to coat everything in the fat to the aromatics for a minute or so.
Step 4: Cover with braising liquids
Add shaoxing wine, the bottom of the pan if there are any stuck browned bits forming.
Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar, then add just enough water to barely submerge the pork. Bring to a .
Step 5: Braise until tender
Partially cover and the pork until completely tender. You can do this on a low simmer on the stovetop, or move the pot into a 300°F/150°C oven for a more hands-off method.
Depending on the cut of pork and how small you cut the pieces, it could take 1-3 hours until tender. Check periodically.
As the pork cooks, you want the braising liquid to into a sauce. If needed, uncover for faster and deeper .
Step 6: Prep serving options
While the pork braises, prep your serving options of choice. white rice, bok choy or Chinese broccoli (gai lan), if using, and hard the eggs.
If desired, you can peel the hard-boiled eggs, then add them into the pork braise at the end of cooking so they absorb some of the sauce.
Step 7: Finish & serve
When the pork is tender and the cooking liquid has into a glaze, it’s ready. Optionally remove whole spices, bay leaves, and ginger slices before serving.
Spoon a portion over cooked white rice, serve with your choice of blanched greens, hard-boiled eggs, and scallions for garnish.
“A simple, deeply savory dish that’s melt-in-your-mouth good. Traditionally, this is made with pork belly for its ample fat & collagen content, but if you can’t find any, you could try making this dish with pork shoulder instead.”
Ethan ChlebowskiWatch & Cook
Nutritional Information
Show macros split into…
Recommended: 6 servings
FAQ
How finely should I mince the pork?
You’ll find this dish with various , so it’s up to your preference. You can finely chop the pork for a more spoonable texture, which will also braise faster. For a chunkier dish, you can leave the pork belly in large, bite-sized slices.
What if I don’t have the whole spices?
You can use a sprinkle of ground cinnamon instead of the whole stick. If you don’t have whole star anise, just use a little extra five-spice powder, which contains ground anise.
Can I skip frying the shallots?
Fried shallots are traditional in the dish and bring caramelized notes to the aromatic base, but for a faster cooking process, you could the shallots right into the rendered pork fat until golden brown instead.