This dish is one of our favorites. Yummy sweet, tangy, and it hits the spot! I was so lucky to find a large piece of pork belly at our Raiffeisen Market. It’s where locals sell their products from their farms and offer farming equipment and plants. Take a peek at the site. It is a very special shop in every village: fresh meats, grains, and dairy. It’s got the whole tamale. It was so good that I used the sauce for my Sticky Asain Chicken while traveling to Norway this year. Delicious either way!
I immediately started planning my recipe as I placed it in the cart. I’m sure once you make this, you will put it at the top of your meal plan for the week. It’s that good. The best thing about this recipe is that once you are done cooking this dish, you will have the most delicious stock for making Asian soups or Pho
Suggestions:
- The piece I bought was a slab of about two pounds. I cut it into 2×8-inch strips, then two-by-two bite-sized pieces. Usually, pork belly comes in long 2×8-inch strips, and I cut those into pieces. It doesn’t matter whether it’s slab or in strips, just cut 2-by-2 pieces.
- You must cook the pork belly in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes or, if you have time, on the stove for 2-3 hours. You can even use a slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours. I used the pressure cooker because I was hungry!
- This freezes nicely and can be heated up after thawing. You can even cook the meat the day before! Then whip it up the next day. Your guest will freak out. They’ll think you’ve been in the kitchen all day.
- Serve over rice and add the red chilies and fresh spring onions.
Sticky Asain Pork Belly
Ingredients
- Pork Belly:
- 2 pounds of pork belly
- 1 liter of veggie or chicken stock
- 1 Tbps of freshly grated ginger
- 4 cloves chopped
- 1 Tbsp rice wine or vinegar
- 1 stalk of lemon grass, or 1 tsp dry lemon grass, or paste
- 1 Tbsp of coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp malted rice Miso (optional)
- Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp of oil
- 3 Tbsp of honey
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut amino soy or gluten-free soy
- 1 tsp of chili flakes
- 1 tsp dried lemon grass or paste
- Salt & Pepper
- Horseradish or wasabi to taste (optional)
- Red chili finely diced to taste (optional)
- 1 tsp of malted rice miso (optional)
- Topping:
- Chopped spring onions
- Chopped red chilies
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare your meat by cutting it into pieces. Then place all the ingredients for the pork belly into a pressure cooker or cooker of your choice. Cook in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the pieces of meat and place them in a bowl. They will be tender, and it’s ok if they fall apart. Reserve the liquid for Asain soup! I froze mine.
- Step 2 In a medium jar, place all the ingredients for the sauce. Shake it and taste it. Add more of anything on the list to satisfy you. Don’t forget the optionals.
- Step 3 Heat on medium 1 tbsp of ghee or oil in a frying pan. Fry the pieces of pork belly, turning so all sides get toasted. You might have to do this in a couple of portions at a time, depending on the size of your pan.
- Step 4 Once all the pork belly pieces are slightly brown, shake the sauce and drizzle it over them. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes before stirring. Continue cooking and, once in a while, lightly stirring until the sauce is thick and dark. Serve right away over rice and don’t forget the toppings!
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.