Melt-in-Your-Mouth Dongpo Pork Belly
Easier Than You Think: Authentic Dongpo Pork Belly
This recipe is based on 1kg of pork belly, but you can easily make it with 600g as well. Cups are standard paper cups, and spoons are regular soup spoons.
Main Ingredients- 1kg Pork Belly (can substitute with 600g)
- 4 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Cup Rice Wine (e.g., Mirin)
- 2/3 Cup Corn Syrup (or Honey)
- 2/3 Cup Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Black Bean Paste (Chunjang)
- 20 Whole Peppercorns
- 8 Whole Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 Onion (cut into large chunks)
- 1 inch Ginger (sliced)
- 1 stalk Green Onion (cut into large pieces)
- 8 Star Anise pods
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Cut the pork belly into roughly 5cm square pieces. Be careful as the meat can be slippery. Score the fatty side in a crosshatch pattern with your knife. This helps the sauce penetrate better and makes the pork extra tender.
Step 2
Heat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a deep pan or pot over medium heat. Add the pork belly pieces and sear them on all sides until golden brown and slightly crispy. This step seals in the juices and adds a wonderful texture.
Step 3
Pour 3 cups of water into the same pan used for searing the pork. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, corn syrup, sugar, and black bean paste. Toss in the whole peppercorns, large chunks of onion and green onion, sliced ginger, whole garlic cloves, and star anise. The black bean paste is key for that signature Dongpo Pork color and depth of flavor.
Step 4
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover the pot tightly and let it simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This slow braising process makes the pork incredibly tender. Flip the pork belly halfway through cooking to ensure it’s evenly coated in the delicious sauce. The sauce should reduce and become slightly syrupy.
Step 5
Your delicious Dongpo Pork is ready! Serve it hot with steamed rice and your favorite blanched vegetables for a truly satisfying meal. Don’t forget to spoon some of the rich braising liquid over your rice!
