Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
A melt‑in‑your‑mouth pork belly that’s slow‑cooked until tender, then finished in a glossy, sweet‑spicy glaze. The dish balances rich pork with bright ginger, garlic, and a hint of lemongrass, making it perfect for a comforting dinner.
Instructions
-
Add all the slow‑cooked pork belly ingredients (excluding the glaze) to a cast‑iron casserole pan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
-
Turn off the heat and drain the pork, reserving the liquid if desired.
-
Chop the pork into bite‑sized chunks. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan, and combine the remaining glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
-
Add the pork, a pinch of salt and pepper, to the hot oil and stir‑fry on high heat until the pieces start to turn golden.
-
Pour the prepared glaze over the pork and continue cooking, stirring, until the coating becomes dark and sticky.
-
Remove from heat and serve immediately over boiled rice with green vegetables.
Tips
The pork can be slow‑cooked ahead of time, cooled, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen. The glaze can also be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. For a gluten‑free version, swap dark soy sauce for tamari and use gluten‑free stock and sherry in place of rice wine.
Video
“One of my FAVOURITE recipes of all time!” by Kitchen Sanctuary, watch on YouTube.
About this recipe
The pork belly pieces are first braised in a fragrant broth of stock, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and a touch of sugar. After two hours of gentle simmering, the meat is drained, chopped, and quickly seared in oil until the edges turn golden. A sticky glaze of honey, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, lemongrass paste, ginger, and chili is poured over the pork, giving it a glossy, caramelized coating. Serve the pork over steamed rice with your favorite green vegetables for a complete meal. The recipe can be prepared ahead of time and reheated, making it convenient for busy weeknights.
