Braised Pork Belly (豚の角煮, Buta no Kakuni)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy pot
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment with a small center hole
• •Fine skimmer
• •Tongs or a wide spoon for lifting tender pork

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut and brown

   Cut the pork belly into large cubes, about two inches across. Pat them dry, then brown them lightly in the oil on the fat sides. You are not trying to build a hard crust. A little color gives aroma, and rendering some surface fat now keeps the final broth cleaner.

2. 2

   Boil the pork

   Put the browned pork in a clean pot and cover it with fresh water by an inch. Add the onion greens and half the ginger. Bring it to a boil, skim the gray foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours. This first cooking softens the fat and pulls out heaviness before any soy sauce enters the pot.

   Seasoning the pork from the start sounds efficient, but soy sauce firms the meat. Tender first, season second. That's the order to keep.
3. 3

   Rinse and rest

   Lift the pork out carefully and rinse each piece under warm water to remove clinging scum. Strain and save 1 cup of the pork cooking liquid if it tastes clean, or use water if it tastes dull. Let the pieces rest a few minutes so they firm enough to handle without breaking.

4. 4

   Build the broth

   In a wide pot, combine the dashi, sake, saved pork cooking liquid or water, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and remaining ginger. Bring it just to a simmer and taste. It should be stronger than soup, because the pork will drink it slowly and the fat will soften its edge.

5. 5

   Simmer slowly

   Return the pork to the pot in a single layer. Set a wooden drop-lid, otoshibuta, directly on the surface, or use a round of parchment with a small hole in the center. Simmer very gently for 60 to 75 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice. The drop-lid keeps the seasoning moving over the pork without rough stirring, so the cubes stay whole.

6. 6

   Add eggs

   If using eggs, add the peeled soft-boiled eggs during the last 10 minutes, rolling them gently in the broth. Ten minutes is enough to stain and season the whites. Longer, and the yolks lose their softness, which is a poor trade.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Turn off the heat and let the pork rest in the broth at least 30 minutes, or cool it completely and refrigerate overnight. Skim the firm fat from the surface if chilled. Rewarm gently before serving, spooning the glossy broth over the pork until it shines. Serve with blanched greens and a small dab of karashi if you like.

Chef Tips

• •Choose pork belly with even layers of meat and fat, not a slab that is nearly all white fat. Kakuni depends on richness, yes, but richness needs structure or it turns tiring after two bites.
• •Use real dashi here, even a light one. It doesn't shout over the pork. It gives the soy and sake a floor to stand on, which is the quiet work dashi often does.
• •Make it a day ahead for a dinner party. The fat firms on top for easy removal, and the pork seasons more deeply while it rests. The patient cook looks clever the next day.
• •Don't boil hard once the pork is in the seasoned broth. A rough boil breaks the cubes and clouds the sauce. Keep the surface moving lazily, as if it has all afternoon.

Advance Preparation

• •Kakuni is best made 1 day ahead. Cool the pork in its broth, refrigerate overnight, then lift off the firm layer of fat before reheating.
• •The finished dish keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently in its broth over low heat so the meat warms through without breaking.
• •Soft-boiled eggs are best added the day of serving, or held in the cooled broth for only a few hours if you want the yolks to stay tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 310g)