Taiwanese braised pork rice is a delicious one bowl meal where every mouthful is bursting with flavor! Chunks of pork belly are simmered in a savory sauce until the sauce thickens and the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Add hard cooked eggs to the pot to soak in some of the savory sauce as it simmers and serve them with the pork on a bed of cooked rice and a side of leafy greens for a complete meal in a bowl. It's delicious comfort in every spoonful!

Ingredients

Chunks of raw chopped pork belly on a wooden cutting board.

Chopped onions, slices of fresh ginger, minced garlic, star anise, brown cinnamon, white pepper and small bowls containing sauces.

Pork belly with skin on
Onion
Garlic
Ginger
Star anise
Light soy sauce
Chinese cooking wine
Dark soy sauce
Honey
White pepper
5-spice powder
Hard cooked eggs (optional)

Instructions

A knife slicing a piece of raw pork belly into thick slices on a wooden cutting board.

Pat the pork belly dry. Slice pork belly into ½-inch slices.

A knife cutting raw pork belly into chunks on a wooden cutting board.

Cut each slice of pork belly into chunks ½-inch wide.

A white round bowl containing dark sauce, and clumps of brown powder.

In a bowl, combine the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, honey, 5-spice powder, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Chunks of raw pork belly in a round metal wok.

Heat a skillet, wok, or medium sized pot over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the pork belly and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes.

A round metal wok containing chunks of cooked pork belly, chopped shallots, and minced garlic.

Add the diced onion (or shallots) and minced garlic to the pork and fry until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Water being poured into a round metal wok containing chunks of pork belly and brown sauce.

Add the sauce, ginger slices, and star anise to the pot and mix well. Add the water and bring to a boil.

Pork belly in a brown boiling liquid in a round metal wok.

If adding peeled, hard-cooked eggs, add them to the pot at this stage. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for at least 1 ½ hours, until the pork is very tender, stirring (and rotating the eggs) occasionally.

Chunks of pork belly, slices of ginger in a thick brown sauce in a metal wok.

Remove the lid and increase the heat to low-medium, cooking until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.

Pro Tip: When buying the pork belly, choose one that has a nice balance of meat and fat; don't get one with more fat than meat or one that is too lean with very little fat.

A pair of black chopsticks resting on a blue and white bowl containing braised pork rice.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I use a leaner cut of pork than pork belly?

Braised pork rice traditionally uses pork belly because the fat adds to the richness of the dish and also has that melt-in-your-mouth quality that the dish is known for. If you want to use a leaner cut, you could try using pork shoulder or collar which still has some fat, but the final result will not be exactly the same as if you use pork belly. I would not use pork loin.

Can I leave the pork belly in slices?

Yes! That is another way to cook the pork belly and it can make for a more impressive presentation in the bowl!

What can I substitute for the Chinese rice wine?

You can use a dry white wine or omit it completely.

A white dish containing braised pork rice, green vegetables, and a hard cooked egg cut in half.

Other Recipes You Might Like

If you are looking for other recipes for serving on a bed of rice, try these delicious ideas:

For other Asian style pork recipes, give these a try:

And if you are adding hard cooked eggs to your braised pork rice (and I highly recommend you do!), check out How To Cook Eggs In A Rice Cooker. It's a great alternative to cooking eggs the traditional way in a pot full of water!