Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly)
Published April 3, 2022
- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½pounds boneless pork belly, cut into 2½-inch squares
- 1knob ginger (1½ inches), scrubbed and sliced
- 1½cups sake
- Soft-boiled eggs (optional)
- 3tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3tablespoons soy sauce
- Karashi (Japanese mustard paste), for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1049 calories; 91 grams fat; 33 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 42 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 799 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat a frying pan over medium (you don’t need to oil the pan) and sear the pork pieces on all sides until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. At the same time, bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
- Step 2
Remove the pork from the frying pan and wipe off the excess fat with paper towels. Place the pork and ginger in the boiling water, cover with a Japanese drop lid (see Tip) or make your own by shaping a sheet of aluminum foil into a round slightly smaller than the diameter of your pot, cutting large holes all through the foil for ventilation and setting it over the pork. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Drain pork and rinse under running water. Discard ginger. Place pork in a bowl, cover with cold water and allow meat to cool for 5 minutes, changing the water twice.
- Step 4
Lay the pork pieces in a single layer in the same pot (no need to wash), and add the sake and enough water so the liquids just cover the meat (about 4 cups). Bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming the scum as needed, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with the drop lid or foil with holes. Simmer for 1 hour, replenishing with water if needed. If you want to serve this dish with soft-boiled eggs, start preparing them now and then peel them.
- Step 5
After the pork has simmered for an hour, add the sugar to the pot. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then check meat for tenderness. A skewer should slide through easily. Continue simmering if needed.
- Step 6
Add the soy sauce to the pot, along with the peeled soft-boiled eggs, if using. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and allow the dish to cool.
- Step 7
When ready to serve, pour ¼ cup broth from the pot into a frying pan, and allow it to reduce for 5 minutes to create a sauce. To serve, place kakuni pork pieces and eggs, if serving, in dishes, and top with the sauce. Serve with karashi to taste, if using.
- A Japanese drop lid, otoshibuta, is smaller in diameter than its pot so that it can rest directly on top of the ingredients, keeping solids submerged in liquid. Some come with holes on top. They’re available online and in Japanese markets and houseware stores.
Private Notes
Comments
My Japanese mother taught me we MUST do 3 sets of pre-boiling: it is to thoroughly remove excess fat from the pork, and to soften the meat while removing any odor from the meat with the flavor of the cooking water. The method of pre-boiling is to boil the pork for 30 minutes, cover with a lid, and steam for 30 minutes, repeating this process in three sets. And one more comment: the rice in this photo is so UNAPPETIZING: each rice grain should be shiny!
While my Pork Belly is defrosting, a question: I can't find any online recipe for Kakuni that doesn't call for a 3 hour simmer. Anyone have results to share with this 1 hour simmer?
If you want good kakuni fast, use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Cooking on the stove for 1 hour won't give you the velvety soft kakuni you should be enjoying! (And use some scallion greens to flavor the broth, in addition to the ginger). For veggies, you can serve with spinach ohitashi or similar so you're not overwhelmed by the richness!
Braised it for more like 2 hours. Otherwise followed the directions exactly. Really good flavor. Served with Coleman’s mustard as it was the sharpest I had in the house. A hotter one would have been better.
Just made this. I thought the recipe called for too much sake but followed it anyway. Sure enough, pork tasted too much like sake. If I were to make this again, I’d use less sake, more sugar and more soy sauce. Pork was nice and tender though.
This is really good. I went ahead and bought a drop lid online as I was concerned foil wouldn't have enough weight. I'm glad I did. They're cheap, effective and store easily. I have never mastered the art of peeling soft-boiled eggs, so I poached mine. Nice addition to the recipe.
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