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Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou 红烧肉 (Red Braised Pork)

This Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork) delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork belly coated in a thick, sticky, and savory-sweet glaze. By pressure cooking the pork with aromatic star anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce, you get hours of slow-braised flavor in a fraction of the time. Serve this iconic Chinese comfort dish over a big bowl of steamed white rice!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Video

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:
  • 2.2 lb pork belly cut into 1.5-inch cubes
The Glaze:
  • 39 g rock sugar approx. 3 tbsp
  • ~2 neutral oil
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 cups water for braising
Aromatics (For Pressure Cooking):
  • 3 scallions cut into fourths
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup shaoxing wine
For Blanching:
  • 3 scallions cut into fourths
  • 1 ½ inch ginger sliced
  • ¼ cup shaoxing wine
  • water for blanching

Equipment

  • Instant Pot Pro (8 QT) This recipe was made with an 8 QT Instant Pot in mind, but should work well with smaller Instant Pots.

Method
 

Prepare Ingredients:
  1. Cut pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes
    2.2 lb pork belly
  2. Slice ginger into thin pieces
    1 ½ inch ginger
  3. Cut scallions into fourths
    3 scallions
Blanch:
  1. Boil pork belly with blanching aromatics for 5 mins to remove scum.
    2.2 lb pork belly, 3 scallions, 1 ½ inch ginger, ¼ cup shaoxing wine, water
  2. Drain, rinse pork, and pat dry thoroughly (crucial!).
Caramelize:
  1. Note: We did this on the stovetop for better heat control.
    Heat oil and rock sugar on low/medium until melted and amber colored.
    39 g rock sugar, ~2 neutral oil
Coat:
  1. Carefully add the dry pork (watch for splatter!) and coat in the sugar.
    2.2 lb pork belly
Pressure Cook:
  1. Add water, soy sauces, wine, and braising aromatics.
    4 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 cups water, 3 scallions, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 bay leaf, ¼ cup shaoxing wine, 3 scallions
  2. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
  3. Natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release.
Reduce:
  1. Open lid.
  2. Remove the aromatics (scallions/star anise/etc).
  3. Switch to Sauté (High).
  4. Boil rapidly until the sauce turns into a thick, shiny glaze that coats the pork.
    OPTIONAL: Remove the meat and set aside, reduce sauce and add back meat when reduced to desired thickness.
Finish:
  1. Serve immediately over rice. 🍚

Video