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Guinness Braised Pork Belly

Traditional chinese braised pork belly made with a twist
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 15 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4
Cost $10

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lb Pork belly
  • 1 can (500mL) Guinness (or your favorite beer)
  • 1 tbsp Rock sugar
  • 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp Cooking wine
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 2 Star anise
  • 1 tsp White pepper
  • 1 tsp Five spice powder
  • 3 slices Ginger

Instructions

  • Prep the aromatics:
    Slice the ginger and green onion. Set aside
  • Slice the pork belly:
    Cut the pork belly into large pieces (about 2-3 inches each), anything smaller will mostly disappear during the braise, so keep them chunky for texture and presence in the dish.
  • Blanch the pork:
    Add pork chunks and fill with water. Add slices of ginger and green onions. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes. You will see foam and impurities rise to the surface. Drain the pork and rinse each piece under warm running water.
  • Add aromatics and sugar:
    In a pan with oil, toss in rock sugar and slowly melt it over low heat. Stir regularly until it caramelizes into a red liquid.
  • Pan fry pork:
    Add pork belly pieces and toss in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Each piece should become a beautiful brown color. 
  • Add the remaining seasonings and the beer:
    Pour in the rest of the seasonings, the soy sauces, oyster sauce, cooking wine, spices (bay leaf, star anise, white pepper, five-spice), and the can of Guinness. Bring everything up to a gentle simmer so the flavors start to blend.
  • Cover and simmer:
    Put the lid on and cook over medium-low heat until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened and glazed the meat (about 60 minutes). Turn or spoon the sauce over the pork once or twice so everything cooks evenly.
  • Finish and serve:
    Turn the heat up slightly and let the sauce simmer uncovered until it thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent the pork and sauce from sticking or burning. The pork should be coated in a rich, glossy red glaze. Remove the bay leaf and star anise before serving.