Pork Belly braised in sake, soy sauce, with brown sugar and Chinese spices
Author:Tim
Prep Time:20
Cook Time:40
Total Time:1 hour
Yield:8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
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