Japanese-style Braised Pork (Buta no Kakuni)
Japanese-style Braised Pork (Buta no Kakuni)
Ingredients
- 1 pork belly block, large
- as needed water, for boiling pork
- 6 stalks green onions, some for boiling, some tied for braising, some chopped for garnish
- 1 piece fresh ginger, sliced, some for boiling, some for braising
- 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- as needed cooked rice, for serving
- as needed soft-boiled egg, for serving
For the Braising Sauce
- 600 ml water
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup mirin
- 2 teaspoons tuna extract
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder, a little
Instructions
- 1
Score the skin side of the pork belly deeply. Cut the pork belly block into large, thick cubes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Place the cut pork belly cubes into a large pot. Add enough water to cover the pork belly. Add a few green onion stalks and several slices of fresh ginger to the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat and cook the pork belly for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 35 min
- 3
After the first boil, remove the pork belly from the pot. Rinse each piece thoroughly under cold running water, scrubbing off any impurities or scum from the surface.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Slice more fresh ginger and lightly smash several garlic cloves. Take a few green onion stalks and tie them into a knot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
In a separate bowl, combine the sauce ingredients: 600ml water, 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup mirin, 2 teaspoons tuna extract, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon honey, and a little ginger powder. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Place the cleaned pork belly into a clean pot. Add the freshly sliced ginger, smashed garlic cloves, and the tied green onion stalks around the pork. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the pork belly and aromatics.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Bring the contents of the pot to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for the first 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min
- 8
After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce and thicken, and the pork belly to become more tender.
⏱️ 30 min
- 9
Once cooked, remove the green onions, garlic, and ginger slices from the pot. Serve the braised pork belly over a bed of cooked rice. Garnish with chopped fresh green onions and a soft-boiled egg.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Japanese-style Braised Pork (Buta no Kakuni)
- 1 pork belly block, large
- as needed water, for boiling pork
- 6 stalks green onions, some for boiling, some tied for braising, some chopped for garnish
- 1 piece fresh ginger, sliced, some for boiling, some for braising
- 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- as needed cooked rice, for serving
- as needed soft-boiled egg, for serving
For the Braising Sauce
- 600 ml water
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup mirin
- 2 teaspoons tuna extract
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder, a little
Instructions
- 1
Score the skin side of the pork belly deeply. Cut the pork belly block into large, thick cubes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Place the cut pork belly cubes into a large pot. Add enough water to cover the pork belly. Add a few green onion stalks and several slices of fresh ginger to the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat and cook the pork belly for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 35 min - 3
After the first boil, remove the pork belly from the pot. Rinse each piece thoroughly under cold running water, scrubbing off any impurities or scum from the surface.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Slice more fresh ginger and lightly smash several garlic cloves. Take a few green onion stalks and tie them into a knot.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
In a separate bowl, combine the sauce ingredients: 600ml water, 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup mirin, 2 teaspoons tuna extract, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon honey, and a little ginger powder. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Place the cleaned pork belly into a clean pot. Add the freshly sliced ginger, smashed garlic cloves, and the tied green onion stalks around the pork. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the pork belly and aromatics.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Bring the contents of the pot to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for the first 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min - 8
After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce and thicken, and the pork belly to become more tender.
⏱️ 30 min - 9
Once cooked, remove the green onions, garlic, and ginger slices from the pot. Serve the braised pork belly over a bed of cooked rice. Garnish with chopped fresh green onions and a soft-boiled egg.
⏱️ 5 min