Shanghai Smoked Pork with Tea & Spice
Silky pork belly cured in salt and sugar, then smoked with black tea and star anise for deep, complex flavor. Sliced thin and served with a tangy dipping sauce—authentic Shanghai street food at home.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb pork belly, skin removed
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp black tea (bags or loose)
- 4 whole star anise
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 whole scallions, sliced thin
Instructions
- 1
Pat pork belly dry. Rub all over with salt and brown sugar.
- 2
Place pork on a small plate or shallow bowl. Cover loosely and refrigerate 2 hours.
- 3
Remove pork from fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry again with paper towels.
- 4
Fill a wok or large pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- 5
Scatter black tea and star anise across the bottom of a cast iron skillet or old wok.
- 6
Place a trivet or small rack over the pot of boiling water. Set the skillet with tea and anise on top.
- 7
Cover tightly with foil or a lid. Smoke for 12–15 minutes until pork is fragrant and golden.
- 8
Remove pork from smoke and let cool slightly. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- 9
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- 10
Arrange pork on a serving plate. Drizzle with dipping sauce and scatter scallions over top.
- 11
Serve immediately with extra dipping sauce on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch cast iron skillet or wok
- large pot or wok
- metal trivet or small steamer rack
- aluminum foil or lid
- sharp knife
- small bowl
- whisk
- paper towels
- serving plate
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