Chinese Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou) with Jaca

By Jaca Kitchen · · Updated

This Chinese red braised pork belly (hong shao rou) swaps rock sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get the same deep, glossy caramel and melt-in-your-mouth pork with zero added sugar. It is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier take on the classic Shanghai comfort dish — rich, savory-sweet, and spoon-tender over a bowl of steamed rice.

Because Jaca allulose caramelizes faster and browns deeper than cane sugar, we use it at 2× the amount and melt it gently — that is the secret to the signature red-brown glaze without a grain of refined sugar.

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cook time: 1 hour · Total: 1 hour 15 minutes · Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1½ lbs skin-on pork belly, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or avocado)
  • 4 tablespoons Jaca allulose (replaces 2 tablespoons rock sugar — Jaca is used at 2× the amount)
  • ⅓ cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2–3 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Cut the pork belly into ¾-inch pieces. Add to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil for about 1 minute, until the pork turns opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
  2. In a wok or heavy pot over low heat, add the oil and Jaca. Jaca allulose caramelizes faster and darker than cane sugar, so keep the heat low and watch closely — melt it to a light amber, then add the pork.
  3. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the pork is lightly browned and coated in the caramel.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, pour in the Shaoxing wine, and cook 2 minutes to infuse.
  5. Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and enough water to mostly cover the pork.
  6. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until fork-tender. Stir every 5–10 minutes and add a splash of water if it dries out.
  7. Once tender, if excess liquid remains, uncover, raise the heat, and stir continuously until the sauce reduces to a glossy coating. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Jaca note: This lighter version replaces the rock sugar entirely with Jaca allulose — a rare sugar that tastes and caramelizes like sugar but adds zero grams of sugar and will not spike your blood glucose.