Instant Pot Stewed Pork Belly

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I rarely make pork belly because we are trying to eat healthier. But those darn restaurants always sabotage my goal! Last week, we went to try a new ramen joint that opened in the South Bay, and stewed pork belly (kakuni) was a ramen topping choice. Everyone at the table ordered it-- including us of course. The pork belly was "melt in your mouth" good-- and inspired me to make my own--especially now that I own an instant pot!

It was all done in under an hour, and so comforting served over rice, and garnished with some green onions. Just make sure you exercise self control and eat only a small serving at a time! (FYI: In case you are wondering why there two glass tupperwares here... I'm splitting this batch with my baby sister so we're not eating the whole batch ourselves.)

Cut pork into cubes

Brown pork


Add browned pork to instant pot

Add remaining ingredients to instant pot

Give everything a good stir

Pressure cook 20 minutes

Carefully take pork pieces out with a slotted spoon

CRUICIAL: Pour sauce into a fat separator!!!

Pour "fat free" sauce over pork pieces

The key to this dish is to use a 1:1 ratio of regular soy sauce and a Chinese dark soy sauce. The Chinese dark soy sauce ("lou chau" in Chinese) is thicker, darker and less salty than the regular soy sauce, and often has added sugar. I took a picture of the two soy sauces I used as well as the chinese rice wine (michiu) here for your reference.

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs pork belly cut into ¾ inch cubes
  • 1 ½ c water
  • ¼ c soy sauce (kikkoman brand)
  • ¼ c Chinese dark soy sauce (Kimlan brand “lou chau” soy sauce)
  • ½ c sugar
  • ¼ c Chinese rice wine (Michiu)
  • 6 cloves garlic rough chopped
  • 1 t ginger powder
  • 2 stalks green onions chopped to 2 inch pieces

Procedures:

1. Cut the pork belly into ¾ in cubes.

2. Brown the pork belly. (See Photos: I did it in a large frying pan in two batches, because it’s faster and I can render off some of the fat and discard it, but if you want less pans to wash and don’t mind doing the browning in 4 or 5 batches, go ahead and use the saute function on the instant pot to brown the pork belly).

3. Transfer all the browned pork belly into the instant pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and give it a good stir to mix.

4. Close lid to instant pot, and place vent to seal. Set the instant pot to pressure cook for 20 min..

5. After timer is up, wait 10 min and then Quick release. Carefully open lid and with a slotted spoon, scoop out the pork belly pieces into a serving tray.

6. Pour the remaining sauce from the instant pot into a fat separator, and allow the fat to separate from the sauce. (See photo) Pour “fat free” sauce over the pork belly pieces.

7. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped fresh green onions.