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In a medium bowl, combine the doenjang, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until well combined to create the marinade.

Place the pork belly in the bowl with the marinade. Ensure the pork belly is generously coated on all sides. Set aside.

Prepare all the aromatics: slice the apple and Korean pear, cut the onion into rings, cut the leek or scallion into large pieces, slice the ginger, and crush the garlic cloves.

Arrange the prepared aromatics (apple slices, Korean pear slices, onion rings, leek or scallion pieces, ginger slices, crushed garlic, and black peppercorns) evenly at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. This will create a bed for the pork belly and release moisture during cooking.

Place the marinated pork belly on top of the bed of aromatics in the pot. Cover the pot tightly with a lid.

Place the covered pot over medium-low heat. The goal is to gently steam the pork belly using the moisture released from the aromatics and the pork itself. Do not add any water. Cook for 60 minutes, or until the pork belly is tender and cooked through. Check occasionally to ensure it's not burning, though with a tight lid and low heat, this is unlikely.

Once cooked, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into desired thickness.

Serve the sliced waterless steamed pork belly immediately with radish kimchi and salted cabbage on the side.


In a medium bowl, combine the doenjang, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until well combined to create the marinade.

Place the pork belly in the bowl with the marinade. Ensure the pork belly is generously coated on all sides. Set aside.

Prepare all the aromatics: slice the apple and Korean pear, cut the onion into rings, cut the leek or scallion into large pieces, slice the ginger, and crush the garlic cloves.

Arrange the prepared aromatics (apple slices, Korean pear slices, onion rings, leek or scallion pieces, ginger slices, crushed garlic, and black peppercorns) evenly at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. This will create a bed for the pork belly and release moisture during cooking.

Place the marinated pork belly on top of the bed of aromatics in the pot. Cover the pot tightly with a lid.

Place the covered pot over medium-low heat. The goal is to gently steam the pork belly using the moisture released from the aromatics and the pork itself. Do not add any water. Cook for 60 minutes, or until the pork belly is tender and cooked through. Check occasionally to ensure it's not burning, though with a tight lid and low heat, this is unlikely.

Once cooked, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into desired thickness.

Serve the sliced waterless steamed pork belly immediately with radish kimchi and salted cabbage on the side.
