Sticky Chinese Pork Belly

Winner, Winner Pork Belly Dinner!  My Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is a new family favorite.

I may have mentioned my love for homemade bacon like once or twice, right?

Well, recently while cruising the samples at Costco with my 4 year old, I discovered that they are now selling pork belly by the slab.  Fresh, not frozen and they will cut to order a nice thick center piece if you request it.  (That’s the sound of angels singing in the background.)  So excited!

Anyway, I came home with 7 pounds.  Kind of extreme I know, but I did hear the background angels, so I couldn’t say no.  My intention was 5 pounds for my next batch of Homemade Hickory Smoked Bacon, and 2 to play with.  Then the dilemma began.

After a couple of hours of cruising ideas online, one of my favorite pastimes, I decided to create my own version of the Chinese inspired route and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.  When everyone is fighting for who gets the last sticky, sweet, spicy, melt in your mouth morsel, you know you have a winner.  (My hubby even compared the tenderness to prime rib.)

This relatively easy recipe starts by slow braising the pork in a fragrant bath of chicken stock, grated ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar for 2 hours.

The meat is then cubed into 1″ chunks.

Cook the meat in a very hot fry pan with a little vegetable oil to crisp and caramelize the edges.

Finally, add the sweet, spicy, fragrant sauce.

 Cook until bubbly, sticky, and slightly thickened.

Serve over rice with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.  I chose steamed green beans seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper as a side.  Its an absolutely beautiful dish that doesn’t disappoint.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

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Sticky Chinese Pork Belly

Melt in your mouth, sticky, sweet, and spicy pork belly served over rice.

Course supper

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Sticky Chinese Pork Belly

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6

Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork belly

Braising Liquid

• 1 box chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Sticky Sauce

• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Other

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 green onions sliced
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Divide your pork belly into 2 slabs.

2. Put pork belly and the braising liquid ingredients into covered saute pan.

3. Cover and gently simmer for 2 hours.
4. Remove braised pork belly from saute pan and discard broth.
5. Cube pork belly into 1" chunks.

6. Whisk sauce ingredients that include the second portion of grated ginger, pepper flakes, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and rice wine vinegar in small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

7. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a very hot fry pan.
8. Add cubed pork belly and fry until edges are crispy and caramelized.
9. Discard excess drippings if necessary.
10. Lower fry pan heat to medium.
11. Add sauce mix to fry pan and cook until thickened and sticky approximately 2 minutes.
12. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

13. Serve over rice.