BUTA NO KAKUNI (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
BUTA NO KAKUNI (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
Ingredients
- 1 small knob ginger, 15g
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 yellow onion
- 3.3 lb skin-on pork belly, 1.5 kg
- 1/2 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil
- 5-6 green onions, 90g
- 4 baby bok choy, or spinach, to serve
- soft-boiled eggs, to serve
- Japanese mustard, karashi, to serve
For the Braising Liquid
- 4.5 cups water, 1,080ml
- 2 teaspoons Hondashi, Japanese bonito soup stock powder
- 5.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 cup sake, 120ml
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- 1
Take the small knob of ginger (15g), slice it thinly, then julienne it, and finally roughly chop it. Smash and then roughly chop the 3 cloves of garlic. Quarter the yellow onion. Take a portion of the 5-6 green onions (90g) and cut them into large pieces suitable for braising, reserving some for garnish later.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Heat the 1/2 tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a Dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot. Place the 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) skin-on pork belly into the heated pot, fat-side down. Sear the pork belly for 10 minutes until the fat is rendered and golden brown. Flip the pork belly over and sear the skin side for another 5 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Add enough water to the pot to completely cover the pork belly. Add the roughly chopped ginger and garlic, the quartered yellow onion, and the large pieces of green onions. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour.
⏱️ 75 min
- 4
After simmering for 1 hour, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot and set it aside to cool completely. This will take approximately 1 hour.
- 5
Once the pork belly has cooled, cut it into approximately 1.5-inch thick pieces (these will typically be square or rectangular).
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
In a separate, clean pot (or clean the same pot used previously), combine all the ingredients for the braising liquid: 4.5 cups (1,080ml) water, 2 teaspoons Hondashi, 5.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 5 tablespoons mirin, 1/2 cup (120ml) sake, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir the mixture well to ensure all ingredients are combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add the cut pork belly pieces to the prepared braising liquid in the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
⏱️ 90 min
- 8
Once the pork belly has finished braising and is tender, serve it hot, typically over rice. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions (using the reserved portion). Serve alongside blanched or steamed baby bok choy (or spinach), soft-boiled eggs, and offer Japanese mustard (karashi) for an additional flavor kick.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
BUTA NO KAKUNI (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
- 1 small knob ginger, 15g
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 yellow onion
- 3.3 lb skin-on pork belly, 1.5 kg
- 1/2 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil
- 5-6 green onions, 90g
- 4 baby bok choy, or spinach, to serve
- soft-boiled eggs, to serve
- Japanese mustard, karashi, to serve
For the Braising Liquid
- 4.5 cups water, 1,080ml
- 2 teaspoons Hondashi, Japanese bonito soup stock powder
- 5.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 cup sake, 120ml
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- 1
Take the small knob of ginger (15g), slice it thinly, then julienne it, and finally roughly chop it. Smash and then roughly chop the 3 cloves of garlic. Quarter the yellow onion. Take a portion of the 5-6 green onions (90g) and cut them into large pieces suitable for braising, reserving some for garnish later.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Heat the 1/2 tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a Dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot. Place the 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) skin-on pork belly into the heated pot, fat-side down. Sear the pork belly for 10 minutes until the fat is rendered and golden brown. Flip the pork belly over and sear the skin side for another 5 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Add enough water to the pot to completely cover the pork belly. Add the roughly chopped ginger and garlic, the quartered yellow onion, and the large pieces of green onions. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour.
⏱️ 75 min - 4
After simmering for 1 hour, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot and set it aside to cool completely. This will take approximately 1 hour.
- 5
Once the pork belly has cooled, cut it into approximately 1.5-inch thick pieces (these will typically be square or rectangular).
⏱️ 15 min - 6
In a separate, clean pot (or clean the same pot used previously), combine all the ingredients for the braising liquid: 4.5 cups (1,080ml) water, 2 teaspoons Hondashi, 5.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 5 tablespoons mirin, 1/2 cup (120ml) sake, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir the mixture well to ensure all ingredients are combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add the cut pork belly pieces to the prepared braising liquid in the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
⏱️ 90 min - 8
Once the pork belly has finished braising and is tender, serve it hot, typically over rice. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions (using the reserved portion). Serve alongside blanched or steamed baby bok choy (or spinach), soft-boiled eggs, and offer Japanese mustard (karashi) for an additional flavor kick.
⏱️ 15 min