The Dongpo rou, 东坡肉, also known as dongpo pork or dongpo meat, is a typical dish from Hangzhou made with pork belly braised in soy sauce and rice wine, with a long process called “red cooking”.
The pork is generally cut into thick squares, about 2 inches with an even distribution of fat and lean meat, while keeping the skin.
The dish is named in honor of Su Dongpo (Su Shi), a renowned poet, painter, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and statesman of the Song dynasty (January 8, 1037 – August 24, 1101).
The recipe was later adopted and developed by the people in the Hangzhou area, the capital of the Southern Song dynasty.
While facing financial difficulties during his exile in Huangzhou – often at odds with the political faction led by Wang Anshi – it is said that Su Dongpo innovated the conventional method of preparing pork.
He marinated the pork in a mixture of huangjiu (yellow wine), brown sugar, and soy sauce, and simmered it for long hours.
Moreover, the poet composed an ode to pork: 豬肉頌 “Zhūròu sòng“, in which he describes the animal as a more affordable local source of meat.
We tasted Dongpo rou during our trip to Hangzhou in January 2024, and on the same trip, we tried another braised pork recipe:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Slow cooking
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork belly (whole)
- 3 scallions
- 8 slices fresh ginger
- 2/3 cup light soy sauce
- 2.5 tbsps dark soy sauce
- 4.2 oz brown sugar
- 2 cups rice wine
Steps
•Wash the whole pork belly. Blanch it in boiling water for a minute and drain. Cut the pork into 2 x 2 inch pieces.
• In a medium clay pot (or a slow cooker), lay the scallions (including the green part) on the bottom in a thick and even layer, they should cover the entire bottom of the pot. Evenly distribute the ginger slices on top.• Then place the pork belly with the skin side down on top of the ginger and scallions. Pour the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce over it. Also add the brown sugar and water to cover the pork.
• Cover it and cook over medium-high heat. Once the liquid in the pot boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes. There is no need to stir.
• After 90 minutes: turn the pork belly in the pot with the skin side up, cover and let it simmer for another 90 minutes. With the flame on low, there should be enough liquid in the pot to cook the pork throughout the process; no need to add more liquid.When ready to serve, transfer the pork pieces to a plate.
At this point, you can heat the braising liquid in a small pot to reduce the sauce and pour it over the pork.
You can also use a slow cooker like the Crockpot .
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Where can you buy Su Dongpo poetry books?
You can find translated editions in English, French, Spanish, and German online.
