Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (2024)

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By Chris Joe

5 from 4 votes

Dec 27, 2023

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Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice, or Lu Rou Fan, is a super popular Taiwanese dish that you can find very commonly in street markets or restaurant stalls all over the country. I love the tender braised pork belly in that sweet, savory sauce over freshly steamed rice. Top it with an egg and some fresh cilantro and you have a true comfort meal in a bowl!

Learn how to make the best Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) with this super easy recipe!

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (2)

Watch the Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice Recipe Video Below!

Ingredients for Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

I love this Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice recipe because only a few ingredients will make tender, delicious pork belly and an irresistible sauce. Firstly, here are the ingredients you will need!

  • 2poundpork bellycut into 1” thick strips about 3 inches long
  • 1cupshiitake mushroomsdiced
  • 1tablespoonrock sugar or granulated sugar13g
  • ¼cupShaoxing wine
  • ¼cupsoy saucelow sodium
  • 2tablespoonsdark soy sauce30ml
  • 2cupswater
  • 1cupfried shallots
  • 1teaspoonfive spice powder
  • ½teaspoonwhite pepper2g
  • 5clovesgarlicchopped
  • 4hard boiled eggsoptional
  • Cilantro(garnish)
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (3)

Where did Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) come from?

Lu Rou Fan’s history is primarily centered in Taiwan. It is considered a quintessential Taiwanese comfort food and holds a special place in the hearts of many Taiwanese people. The dish’s origins can be traced back to the period when Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). During this time, culinary influences from Japan and China converged in Taiwan, giving rise to unique Taiwanese dishes.

The technique of braising pork, which is the hallmark of Lu Rou Fan, was brought to Taiwan by Chinese immigrants. It involves cooking pork in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, and aromatic spices until the meat becomes tender and succulent.

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice: Recipe Instructions

1. Cut the Pork Belly

The first step in making this recipe is cutting the chicken into 1″ strips about 3″ long. You want to purposefully cut these strips this length because they will shrink upon cooking to smaller, bite size pieces.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (4)

2. Brown the Pork Belly

Next, fry the pork belly strips in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil and fry until browned. You’ll see water escape from the pork and pool at the bottom of the pan – ensure all of this is cooked out prior to moving to the next step. You want to hear crackling and browning of the pork, which is a sign the water from the pork has been cooked out.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (5)

3. Add seasonings and aromatics

Add garlic and rock sugar to the pork and stir until the garlic is fragrant.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (6)

Next, add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice powder, white pepper, shiitake mushrooms, fried shallots and peeled hard boiled eggs.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (7)

4. Add water and braise

Add about 2 cups of water or enough to fully cover the pork belly. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until the pork is fork tender.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (8)

Reduce the sauce (if needed)

Upon braising, the sauce should turn into a gravy-like consistency. If the sauce is too watery when the pork is tender, uncover the pot and turn the heat to medium high and let the sauce reduce down, making sure to stir occasionally to prevent any burning.

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (9)

Serve!

Once the sauce has reduced down to that gravy consistency, it’s time to eat! Serve a big ladle full of pork belly and the sauce over a freshly steamed bowl of rice, and top with the egg and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

If you liked this Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice recipe, check out some of the most popular Chinese Take-Out recipes on the blog!

  • Chicken Lo Mein
  • Shrimp Fried Rice
  • Beef and Broccoli
  • Sesame Chicken
  • String Bean Chicken
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (10)

5 from 4 votes

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) – EASY!

By: Chris Joe

Servings: 6

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Save

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice, or Lu Rou Fan, is a super popular Taiwanese that you can find very commonly in street markets or restaurant stalls all over the country. I love the tender braised pork belly in that sweet, savory sauce over freshly steamed rice. Top it with an egg and some fresh cilantro and you have a true comfort meal in a bowl!

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 pound pork belly, cut into 1” thick strips about 3 inches long
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, diced
  • 1 tablespoon rock sugar or granulated sugar, 13g
  • ¼ cup Shaoxing wine
  • ¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 30ml
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup fried shallots
  • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper, 2g
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, optional
  • Cilantro, garnish

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the pork belly strips and fry until browned. Add the garlic and sugar to the pork and sauté until the sugar has melted.

  • Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice powder, white pepper, shiitake mushrooms, fried shallots, and peeled hard boiled eggs if using. Add water until the meat is fully covered and bring to a boil.

  • Once the liquid comes to a boil, partially cover with a lid and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour or until the pork is fork tender. The liquid should be caramelized and sticky, but if there is excess liquid, turn the heat up to high and let the sauce further reduce, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

  • Serve with fresh rice, egg, and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

Key Tip: Ensure that the water is cooked out of the pork belly during the browning process (step 1). This will ensure that the pork belly is flavorful and the final dish is not watery!

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 31gFat: 126gSaturated Fat: 45gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 58gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 957mgPotassium: 718mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (12)

About CJ

I’m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

Read more about me

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Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY! - CJ Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Hong Shao Rou and Lu Rou fan? ›

According to The Woks of Life, lu rou fan shares many similarities with hong shao rou, a pork belly dish from Shanghai that translates to "red cooked pork." Unlike lu rou fan, however, hong shao rou is made with larger cuts of pork belly and different spices. We obviously know where the Taipei City Government stands.

What is the history of minced pork rice? ›

The origin of braised pork rice

It was surmised that in the early days of Taiwan, the poor people bought some cheap minced pork and pigskin, chopped them into little pieces, and cooked them with soy sauce. Therefore the people can enjoy the rice with pork broth at a low cost.

Where did Lu Rou fan come from? ›

Where did Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) come from? Lu Rou Fan's history is primarily centered in Taiwan.

Where is braised pork rice from? ›

Braised pork rice is one of the most notable Taiwanese foods.

What do you serve with hong shao rou? ›

Hong Shao Rou - Sticky Red Braised Pork Belly

The braising liquor is then reduced to a glossy, coating sauce with rock sugar, resulting in shiny, fatty nuggs of happiness, best served with steamed rice and pickled mustard greens.

What does hong shao rou taste like? ›

The juicy and fatty pork belly is smothered in caramelized sauce. It's sticky, savory, sweet, and succulent.

Is minced pork good for you? ›

Pork is naturally rich in protein. Protein contributes to the maintenance and growth in muscle mass and is needed for normal growth and development of children's bones. Pork is a source of zinc, selenium and vitamins B12 and B6, these help the immune system to work normally.

Why is pork fried rice pink? ›

The glaze is a mixture honey, soy sauce, spices and red fermented bean curd, 南乳. However, the bright red color is from food coloring. The difference between traditional char siu and take out pork in pork fried rice is take out pork is often boiled, quickly roasted and dyed red.

What is the difference between ground meat and minced meat? ›

The terms “ground meat” and “minced meat” are sometimes used interchangeably. But they indicate two techniques for processing raw meat: ground meat is an emulsion of lean meat and fat, whereas minced meat is finely chopped skeletal-muscle meat. Ground meat is consistent and smooth; minced meat is choppy and textured.

What is the Chinese character for Lu Rou fan? ›

Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Pork Rice Bowl, 卤肉饭)

Where did Hong Shao Rou originate? ›

Braised pork belly (Hong shao rou)

All the ingredients form a sweet and sticky sauce of vibrant red color in which the pork belly is cooked until tender. The dish originates from the Chinese province of Hunan, but nowadays it is traditionally associated with Shanghai.

What is Lu Rou fan in English? ›

In Taiwan, lu rou fan means braised diced pork with its sauce poured over rice. Versatility explains its omnipresence. The braising sauce would often be used on noodles and blanched vegetables.

Why is Chinese pork fried rice red? ›

The red hue on the pork comes from the sticky, crave-able barbecue sauce in which it's marinaded before roasting. Often, this deep crimson hue comes from a combination of Hoisin sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and fermented red bean curd (aka fermented tofu, bean cheese, or tofu cheese).

What is hong shao rou? ›

The definition of "hong shao ruo" is red braised meat. It means meat that has been braised in the mixture of soy sauce, cooking wine and aromatics to the point where it has taken on the dark caramelized red color of the soy sauce. This picture looks like chunks of fatty pork belly sitting in broth.

Is Mei Cai Kou Rou the same as hong shao rou? ›

Mei cai kou rou is pretty much hong shao rou with the addition of mustard greens and a change in cooking method to steaming. More elaborate preparations add spices to the sauce. Hakka style recipes also add oyster sauce on occasion.

Is Hong Shao spicy? ›

Hong Shao Rou, or red braised pork, is a beloved dish in China. Depending on the region, there are many different approaches to cooking it. Some versions taste sweeter, some taste more savory, while others taste spicy.

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