Twice Cooked Pork Belly Recipe

Prepare the pork

Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. If the skin is on and you prefer crisp skin, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife; otherwise remove the skin. Cut the slab into 3–4 cm (1–1.5 in) thick slabs for easier handling and even cooking.

Simmer to cook through

Place the pork pieces in a large saucepan or shallow pot and add enough water (about 2 liters) to cover. Add sliced ginger, white parts of the green onions, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook gently for 45–55 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice, until the pork is tender but not falling apart. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.

Cool and refrigerate

Remove the pork from the poaching liquid and let it cool slightly on a rack. Strain and reserve 120 ml of the poaching liquid (you can reduce it later to concentrate flavor). Refrigerate the pork, uncovered or loosely wrapped, until fully chilled—at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Chilling firms the fat and makes the pork easier to slice cleanly and crisp in the next step.

Slice the chilled pork

Remove chilled pork from fridge and slice into 6–8 mm (1/4 in) thick slices. Thinner slices will crisp more; thicker slices will be meatier. Pat slices dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture—this helps achieve a good sear.

Pan-sear to crisp

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange pork slices in a single layer without crowding; you may need to work in batches. Sear for 2–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and the fat renders and crisps. If the pork had skin scored, hold it skin-side down slightly longer to crisp. Transfer seared slices to a plate and keep warm.

Make the sauce

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan (reserve excess for another use). Reduce heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon oil if pan is dry, then add the sliced shallot, smashed/minced garlic, and minced fresh ginger. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened but not burned. Sprinkle in the Chinese five-spice and optional chili paste and cook 30 seconds. Add the reserved ~120 ml poaching liquid (or use low-sodium chicken stock if you didn’t reserve), honey, rice vinegar, and dark caramel/soy reduction if using. Bring to a simmer and reduce gently for 3–5 minutes until slightly syrupy. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a pinch of salt or extra soy if needed. Finish by whisking in the sesame oil.

Glaze the pork

Return the seared pork slices to the pan, turning them in the sauce to coat and warm through for 1–2 minutes. Spoon sauce over each piece so they develop a glossy coating. If you prefer a thicker glaze, remove pork and reduce the sauce a little longer until it coats the back of a spoon, then return pork to glaze.

Arrange the twice-cooked pork belly on a serving platter. Sprinkle with thinly sliced scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with quick pickles or pickled cucumber on the side to cut the richness. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2–3 days and can be gently reheated in a skillet to re-crisp the edges.