bonappetit4.4
Sake-and-Soy-Braised Pork Belly
Loosely inspired by the flavors of Japanese Kakuni, this supple, sticky-sweet and salty braised pork belly comes together in just one pot.
👥 4 Servings👤 Inés Anguiano📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pot
- ●dutch oven
- ●oven
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Cook ½ cup (100 g; packed) dark brown sugar and 3 Tbsp. water in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring often, until big bubbles form then settle down and mixture is slightly darkened in color and hardens into a thin thread when drizzled from a spoon back into pot, 5–⏱️ 7 minutes. Gradually pour in 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup sake, ½ cup soy sauce, and ½ cup water, stirring constantly (be careful; mixture will bubble up quickly), then add one 3" piece ginger, scrubbed, sliced ¼" thick, 4 red Thai chiles (if using), and 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped. Bring to a simmer and cook until any hardened sugar is dissolved, about ⏱️ 4 minutes.
low-sodium chicken broth2 cupssake1 cup3" piece ginger, scrubbed, sliced ¼" thick1red Thai chiles (optional)4
2
Add 2 lb. skin-on pork belly, cut into 2" cubes (try your best to submerge cubes). Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and braise, rotating pork and skimming fat from surface every ⏱️ 20 minutes, until meat shreds easily (it should be tender enough for a fork to pierce with no resistance but still have some bounce) and sauce is reduced by three fourths (it should look thick and syrupy), 2–2½ hours. (If sauce is too sticky and has reduced too quickly by the time the pork is done, add ¼ cup water at a time as needed, bringing to a simmer between additions, until desired texture is reached. If sauce is not thick enough, remove lid and transfer pork belly to plates. Simmer sauce over medium, stirring constantly, until thickened, then spoon over pork.) Divide pork belly among plates; top with thinly sliced scallions. Serve with cooked white rice if desired.
. skin-on pork belly, cut into 2" cubes2 lb
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback
0 ReviewsLoading reviews...