Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

FAQs

What is pork belly in Japan? ›

Kakuni or Japanese Braised Pork Belly is tender chunks of succulent meat coated in a savory soy sauce glaze. There's something about this dish that I cannot resist! The slow cooking method turns the pork belly into a delicious creation that simply melts in your mouth.

If your braised pork belly is tough, it either needs to cook longer or it was cooked over too high heat.

Cook for 75 minutes, until the pork is tender. If the sauce is runny, mix the cornstarch with one tablespoon of water and then add it to the pork mixture to thicken. If you feel the liquid is reducing too much, you can add more water as needed. Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried greens and enjoy!

Chashu can be made from different cuts of pork but is traditionally tied up so that it can be sliced round. Kakuni is also pork but literally means “square simmered”. It is always made from pork belly and no other part of the pig – for this reason, it's my choice of cut over the Chashu.

Kakuni (角煮) is a Japanese braised pork dish which literally means "square simmered".

Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours, until the meat is nearly tender. Uncover and braise for 1 hour longer, until the meat is very tender. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet fat side up. Strain the broth into a heatproof bowl and spoon off the fat.

Because pork belly contains so much fat, it's high in calories. It has roughly 585 calories per 4 ounces (113 grams) ( 1 ). Therefore, it may not be a great option for people trying to lose weight or decrease calorie intake.

Slow roast 1 1/2 hours – Roast the pork in a 140°C/285°F oven (120°C fan) for a total of 2 1/2 hours. Keeping the temperature this low allows the meat to become tender, for the fat to render (melt) so we get the “confit” cooking effect, and also to dry out the pork skin yet keep it supple.

You can braise in whatever combinations of liquids that you like: red wine, balsamic vinegar, apple cider, or even milk. Just make sure that the meat you're braising is only partially submerged (if it's fully submerged, you're technically stewing, which is a slightly different process).

Chinese braised pork belly, or hong shao rou, is one of the most popular dishes in China, and for good reason! Each bite melts in your mouth and explodes with the amazing flavor of the sweet and savory sauce!

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

The skin wasn't dry enough. Make sure to pat the pork completely dry before rubbing in the salt and oil as excess moisture will stop it from crisping up. It's important to score the skin if you want it really crisp. You'll need a sharp knife for this, or ask your butcher to do it for you.

Bacon is a type of thin-cut pork belly that has undergone curing and smoking (typically over wood like applewood or hickory). Curing is a preservation process that involves rubbing bacon in a mixture of salt, nitrates, and nitrites to preserve the meat and impart its characteristic pink color.

Hog maw, sometimes called pig's stomach, Susquehanna turkey or Pennsylvania Dutch goose is a Pennsylvania Dutch dish. In the Pennsylvania German language, it is known as Seimaage (sigh-maw-guh), originating from its German name Saumagen.

Today is all about what is perhaps my favorite part of a bowl of ramen: the tender, salty, sweet, fatty, melt-in-your-mouth slices of braised pork belly known as chashu. It's a component of a perfect bowl of ramen that's all-too-often overlooked at restaurants.