Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (2024)

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Sticky sesame pork belly is a delicious treat for the whole family! With everything done in under an hour, this dish is perfect for a weeknight or a hit for serving a crowd.

I always order pork belly at restaurants, but I had never tried making at home. Now that I have, I'm hooked, and you should be too!

I buy my pork belly at Costco - they always have it in stock and they have great prices on it.

How to Make Sticky Sesame Pork Belly

Pork belly may seem intimidating to cook, but I promise it's easier than you think. You'll start by cutting your pork belly in 1 inch pieces.

Then, you'll boil in chicken stock with ginger, garlic, salt and pepper for 30 minutes, or until the pork belly is cooked.

Boiling the pork belly helps render the fat and will allow you to more easily crisp the pork belly once you cook it with the glaze.

After the pork belly is boiled, you'll let it cool, and then add to a nonstick skillet. You shouldn't need any oil for this step, as the fat from the pork belly will start to render.

Cook the pork belly for about 10 minutes, or until it's golden brown.

Once it starts to crisp, add in the glaze and cook over low heat. The glaze will adhere to the pork belly and help it crisp up for the last few minutes of cooking.

This sesame pork belly is best topped with sesame seeds and scallions.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about pork belly:

What's the difference between pork belly and bacon?

Pork belly is uncured bacon. It is not processed, so it offers more freedom for flavoring and has a better fat to meat ratio than bacon does.

Where can you buy pork belly?

Many grocery stores carry pork belly. It's always a good idea to call the meat department of your local grocery store and see if they have it in stock or can order some for you.

What goes well with pork belly?

You can eat pork belly with anything! A few ideas include serving it over rice, in tacos, or in a salad.

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (1)

What to serve with this dish

Sticky sesame pork belly has so many incredible possibilities! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve:

  1. Serve pork belly over a big bed of warm, short grain white rice
  2. Put in tacos and top with microgreens
  3. Tossed in a big leafy salad with a sesame oil based dressing
  4. Add to chili oil noodles

A final option - just serve on a plate as an appetizer. No matter how you serve, this dish is so delicious!

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (2)

Kitchen supplies for this recipe

Here are some kitchen staples I recommend for cooking this recipe:

Nonstick Skillet - A good non-stick skillet is a must for this recipe. Although you can crisp the pork belly in a regular pan, I recommend a non-stick skillet to significantly reduce your clean up time! Check out this one on a Amazon.

Sesame Seeds - Sesame seeds are the perfect topping to this dish. If you can't find them at your local grocery store, check out these that you can buy on Amazon!

Sesame Oil - If you can't find sesame seeds at your local Asian grocery store, you can grab it on Amazon. It gives this dish it's delicious sesame flavor! I've used this brand before and it's great!

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (3)

More Easy Recipes

Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Check out these for weeknight dinner inspiration!

Salmon and Crispy Rice with Cilantro Lime Salsa - I love this recipe. It's easy, flavorful, and perfect for a fresh and healthy meal on a weeknight!

Lemon Ricotta Pasta - This super simple pasta recipe is a great flavor base for grilled shrimp, chicken, or vegetables. It's a great easy dinner any night of the week!

Pan Seared Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce - This easy salmon recipe is a weeknight winner! Ready in 15 minutes, your family will love this restaurant quality dish.

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (4)

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Ingredients:

  • Pork Ingredients
    • 2 lb pork belly, sliced in 1in pieces
    • 4 cups chicken broth/stock
    • 2 in piece ginger, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Glaze Ingredients
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • sesame seeds and scallions, for topping

Directions:

  1. Add pork belly, stock, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper to a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring heat low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until pork is cooked through.
  2. Remove cooked pork belly from pot and cool on a plate.
  3. Stir brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic together and set aside.
  4. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cooked pork belly and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pork belly starts to turn golden brown.
  5. Add glaze over pork belly and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes on low, then top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (5)

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Cuisine Asian

Servings 10 servings

Calories 550.51 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lb pork belly sliced in 1in pieces
  • 4 cups chicken broth/stock
  • 2 in piece ginger diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • sesame seeds and scallions for topping

Instructions

  • Add pork belly, stock, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper to a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring heat low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until pork is cooked through.

  • Remove cooked pork belly from pot and cool on a plate.

  • Stir brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic together and set aside.

  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cooked pork belly and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pork belly starts to turn golden brown.

  • Add glaze over pork belly and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes on low, then top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (2024)

FAQs

Why put baking soda on pork belly? ›

It is a fact of life that dry skin crisps better than moist skin. Scotese's trick to crispy pork belly is to rub equal parts baking soda and salt into the skin—the combo of baking soda and salt will draw out moisture and set you up for success.

Is pork belly as unhealthy as bacon? ›

Is pork belly healthier than bacon? Bacon contains smoke flavor, preservatives (like nitrates), and added ingredients that may not be considered part of a healthy diet. If you're trying to eat more naturally, pork belly may make a better choice.

Why is braised pork belly tough? ›

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

How long can raw pork belly stay in the fridge? ›

Put packages of raw pork in disposable plastic bags (if available) to contain any leakage which could cross contaminate cooked foods or produce. Take pork home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 °F (4.4 °C); use within 3 to 5 days or freeze (0 °F / -17.8 °C or less).

Why do you pour boiling water on pork belly? ›

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

How do Chinese restaurants make pork so tender? ›

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

Is it better to cook pork belly fast or slow? ›

This process helps the fat run out and skin to crisp. Transfer to a preheated oven. Check your recipe for times and temperatures. Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin.

Should I cover pork belly when cooking? ›

Build a foil boat around the pork belly. Fold up the sides and seal the corners well for a tight package that surrounds the meat, but leaves the skin exposed on top. Carefully cover top skin with a layer of coarse salt, being careful not to let it fall off the sides where it will over-salt the meat.

Does pork belly get softer the longer it cooks? ›

This is a tough muscle, so it needs a longer cooking time at low heat to breakdown the tough tissue." So, to serve up good roast pork, budget for at least 3-4 hours in the kitchen. If done correctly, a piece of roast pork should be so tender you can pierce its flesh with a fork.

Is pork belly unhealthy? ›

Yes, pork belly can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation and balanced with other nutritious foods. Is pork belly high in cholesterol? Pork belly does contain cholesterol, but dietary cholesterol has less impact on blood cholesterol levels than previously believed. However, moderation is still key.

Should pork belly be at room temperature before cooking? ›

Remove from the fridge and allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. Make sure the pork rind is very dry, as any moisture can prevent it from crackling.

Can pork belly still be pink? ›

Is it ok if my pork is slightly pink? The short answer to this common question is yes! Due to the ingredients and natural preservatives found in many pork products, it's entirely possible that your meat may still be slightly pink even when it's fully cooked. In fact, pork can even be enjoyed medium-rare.

What does baking soda do to pork? ›

Briefly soaking meat in a solution of baking soda and water raises the pH on the meat's surface, making it more difficult for the proteins to bond excessively, which keeps the meat tender and moist when it's cooked.

What does baking soda do to pig skin? ›

Bicarb of soda changes the protein structure in meat and does amazing things to the skin of poultry and pork. It raises the pH level on the surface of meat making it less acidic. Lower acidity facilitates the Maillard reaction for better browning altogether.

What does baking soda do for show pigs? ›

Adding an appropriate dose of sodium bicarbonate to the daily diet of piglets can significantly increase the feed intake and daily weight gain of piglets, and effectively prevent red, yellow and white diarrhea in piglets; adding an appropriate amount of sodium bicarbonate to the diet of fattening pigs can significantly ...

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