Name: Slow Cooked Braised Asian Pork Belly
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 kg pork belly, cut into 2-3cm cubes (you can use up to 1.5kg of pork belly for this recipe); 1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 3 red onions, diced roughly (brown onions are fine too); 1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, sliced and cut into thin matchsticks; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup tamari or all-purpose soy sauce; 1 tsp Chinese five-spice; 2 star anise; 2 cups water; Sliced chilli (optional); Rice and greens to serve

Instructions

Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet and cook the pork belly in batches for 5-8 minutes until browned and golden. Set aside.
Add the garlic, onions and ginger to the same pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant. Don’t worry about cutting the ingredients too finely; they will break down in the delicious, sticky sauce.
Add the brown sugar, tamari (or all-purpose soy sauce), Chinese five-spice, star anise and 2 cups of water to the pan. Return the pork.
Bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, turn down to the lowest heat, place the lid on and cook for 2 hours. Check halfway and add 1/2 cup of water if the sauce is sticking to the base of the pan. The sauce will be thin but will caramelise in the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.
Once cooked, the pork should easily break apart with a fork. If not, cook in 15-minute intervals until soft, adding 1/4 cup of water as needed.
Once the pork is soft, remove the lid, and turn the heat to high for 5-10 minutes to let the sauce thicken. It is ready when the sauce is sticky and coats the pork.
Garnish with sliced chilli.
Serve with steamed rice and steamed greens.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD AND LEFTOVERS – Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, ensuring the pork is well covered in the sticky broth to prevent freezer burn. Best thawed completely overnight in the fridge before use. Reheat in the microwave or stove top with a splash of boiling water to help loosen the sauce.

Slow Cooked Braised Asian Pork Belly