🍚 Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan)
- Nov 8, 2025
- 3 min read
There’s no dish that represents Taiwan’s comfort food better than Lu Rou Fan — Braised Pork Rice.
Whether it’s at a street-side eatery or a family kitchen, that rich aroma of soy sauce, shallots, and caramelized pork fills the air and instantly makes you hungry.
A glossy spoonful over warm rice is the taste of pure happiness.
🧂 Ingredients
📸 (See photos above)
Pork belly — 2 to 3 strips (about 1000g, skin-on, diced)
Shallots — 2 to 3 bulbs (or 4 tbsp fried shallots)
Garlic — 5 cloves, minced
Brown sugar — 1 tbsp
Rock sugar — 1 tbsp
Soy sauce — 1 cup
Rice wine — 1 cup (or Shaoxing wine)
Five-spice powder — 1 tsp
White pepper — a pinch
Bay leaves — 2 leaves
Water — enough to cover the pork
(Optional) Braised eggs, tofu, or mushrooms for extra flavor
👩🍳 Directions
1️⃣ Prepare the pork
Always use skin-on pork belly — that’s the secret to the sticky, silky texture of authentic Lu Rou Fan. Slightly freeze the meat before cutting; it’s much easier to slice evenly.
2️⃣ Render the pork fat
In a hot pan without adding oil, place the diced pork belly and stir-fry over medium heat. The pork will release liquid at first; be patient and cook it off. Continue until the meat turns lightly golden and the fat renders — this step removes the porky smell and builds a deep aroma.
3️⃣ Add shallots and garlic
Once the pork fat becomes clear, add the minced shallots and sauté until fragrant.Then stir in the garlic and cook until everything smells irresistibly aromatic — this is the soul of the dish.
4️⃣ Caramelize the sugar
Push the meat to one side of the pan. Add brown sugar and rock sugar, then heat gently until they melt and bubble into a golden caramel.Mix the pork back in and coat evenly — this gives the sauce its beautiful amber shine. ✨
5️⃣ Add soy sauce and rice wine
Pour in soy sauce and stir to release the fragrance, then deglaze with rice wine.Add the bay leaves, five-spice powder, and white pepper.Transfer everything into a deeper pot, add enough water to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for about 1 hour.
💡 Taste as you go! Every soy sauce has a different saltiness — if it’s too sweet, add more soy sauce; if it’s too salty, add a bit of sugar or water to balance it out.
6️⃣ Reduce and rest
Once the pork turns a deep amber color and the sauce thickens, turn the heat to high and cook until the liquid reduces to a glossy, sticky consistency. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 2–3 hours — or even better, refrigerate overnight. The flavor deepens beautifully after resting.
🍽️ Serving
The braised pork should be tender, with the fat and lean parts perfectly balanced. Spoon a generous portion over a bowl of steaming rice, drizzle with the thick sauce, and top with a braised egg or pickled mustard greens. Every grain of rice soaks up that sweet-salty flavor — rich, comforting, and utterly addictive.
🌿 Tips
For a darker color and deeper flavor, add a dash of dark soy sauce or an extra spoon of brown sugar.
The sauce tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
Don’t throw away leftover sauce — it’s amazing over noodles or blanched vegetables!
❤️ Final Thought
Lu Rou Fan is more than just a dish — it’s the taste of home. That glossy, caramelized sauce and the fragrant soy aroma evoke a sense of nostalgia that only true comfort food can. Wherever you are in the world, one bite of this Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice brings you right back home. 🇹🇼❤️
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