Sake Pork Belly is inspired by my visit to Origami Sake Brewery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. There I learned how state of the art brewing processes, using world renowned Arkansas rice and pristine water from the Arkansas aquifer create exceptional sake. Beyond being a delight to drink, sake is also a wonderful ingredient in the kitchen, adding depth and complexity to dishes.
For this recipe, I paired premium sake with high-quality pork belly from my local butcher, a combination that results in incredibly tender, flavor-packed meat. In just 60 minutes, this simple yet impressive dish comes together, coated in a flavorful sauce made from brown sugar, sake, soy sauce, and Chinese spices. As it simmers, the sauce caramelizes beautifully, creating a rich, umami-filled glaze that makes every bite irresistible.
Let’s make Sake Pork Belly
Use a high quality, skin off pork belly and cut it into cubes.
Sear the pork over medium high heat until it is golden brown – about ten minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the sliced onion and cook it in the rendered fat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook one minute more, remove from the heat and set aside.
Combine 1 cup of beef broth with the brown sugar, bring to a boil and reduce by a third. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining broth, soy, sake, vinegars and spices and add it to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork belly, onion and garlic to the sauce. Fold it in and braise until it is fully reduced to a nice caramelized sauce.
Ready to serve with sliced scallion and toasted sesame seed, or over noodles.
A great glass of sake pairs beautifully with this and you can check out Origami Sake HERE. Print
Sake Pork Belly
Pork Belly braised in sake, soy sauce, with brown sugar and Chinese spices
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork belly – skin off, sliced into 1” to 1.25” cubes
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar – packed
- 2–1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup White Lotus Origami Sake
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 TBL rice wine vinegar
- 1 TBL red wine vinegar
- 1 piece fresh ginger – 2” x 2” x 1/4”
- 1 small yellow onion – halved and sliced
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 3 whole star anise
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 1–1/2 tsp schechuan peppercorns
- 4 red small arbol or Thai chiles
- 4 garlic cloves – minced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions – garnish
- 2 TBL toasted sesame seed – garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together 1-1/2 cups beef broth, soy sauce, chilies, sake, Chinese 5 spice powder, ginger, rice and wine vinegars in a bowl and set aside
- Sear the pork belly over medium heat in a dutch oven large enough to hold the pork in a single layer – about 10 minutes. It’s ready when you achieve a light golden brown color. Reduce the heat to low, add the onions to cook in the pork belly fat for 1 minute, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the dutch oven from heat and set aside
- In a separate heavy bottom pot, whisk together the brown sugar and 1 cup beef broth over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by about half, forming big bubbles
- Gradually pour in the remaining combined broth and spices while stirring
- Raise heat and bring everything to a boil, then lower heat to medium low and reduce until it begins to make and hold bubbles, reducing it by a third – about 20 minutes
- Reduce heat to low, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork belly, onion and garlic, leaving the rendered fat behind. Fold in the pork belly and braise until the liquid has reduced to a nice sticky sweet sauce. If it becomes too thick, add a little water and stir it in.
- Serve it with momofuku noodles (optional) and garnish with sliced scallion and toasted sesame seed