What is it
Red-Braised Pork Belly
Pork belly slowly braised with soy sauce, sugar and rice wine until glossy and tender.
At the table
How to eat it
NONE
Culture
The story behind the dish
Red braising builds colour through soy sauce and caramelized sugar rather than red chilli. Shanghai versions often lean sweeter than those in many other regions, reflecting the local balance of sugar, soy and rice wine. The method suits pork belly because long cooking softens the meat and renders part of its fat into the sauce.
Reference
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.
SpicinessNot spicy
Main ingredientPork belly / Soy sauce / Sugar / Rice wine
FlavourSweet, savoury, rich
ContainsAlcohol · Pork
Usually servedHot
Good forSharing / Dinner
Where it is fromShanghai and the Jiangnan region
Ordering tipOrder it as a shared dish and pair a small portion with plain rice, since the sauce is concentrated. The usual Shanghai version is pork belly and cannot be made lean simply by requesting less fat.
If you have an allergy or something you can't eat, check with the staff before you order.
Last updated 2026-08-16
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