Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

May 11, 2018Van

Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (1)

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Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Eating this braised pork belly dish is poetic. The history of this thousand year old dish involves one of Chinas most celebrated poets, Su Dongpo. A poor, not so starving artist who desired the most flavorful pork dish to cure his ails. Dongpo used a low and slow method with wine to achieve the now legendary flavors so famous throughout numerous Asian Cuisines even today. In fact, several renditions of this Braised Pork Belly are celebrated throughout Asia and this Japanese Version is one of my favorites. The Japanese impart the flavors of Sake and Mirin which make it sing.

Normally this dish takes at least three hours of simmering on the stovetop to get the pork belly tender and rendered, but with the modern conveniences the Instant Pot we can cut much of that time away. One of my favorite aspects of the Japanese Version is the karashi (Japanese Mustard) dip served on the side as a condiment—such a perfect addition. The warm spice cuts through the fat and gives us a tongue tingling sensation that is honestly quite addictive. Give it a try.

Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2)Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (3)

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Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (4)

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Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (5)

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May 11, 2018Van

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 6

www.foodisafourletterword.com

Ingredients

  • 2½ Pounds Pork Belly, cut into 1-1½ inch squares, remove skin if you prefer
  • 3 Green Onions, separate the white and green parts
  • 3 Inch piece of Fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch slices
  • 1 Large Onion, coarsely sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 6 Eggs
  • ¼ Cup Sake
  • ½ Cup Mirin
  • ½ Cup Soy Sauce
  • ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ Cup Water
  • Karashi (Japanese Mustard), optional

Method

  • 1)

    Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the Pork Belly, Sliced Onions, Sliced Ginger and green section of the Green Onions. Once the water starts to boil again, let it boil for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and discard the onions and ginger.

  • 2)

    Make Soft Boiled Eggs by placing 1 cup of water into your Instant Pot and place 6 eggs on top of a trivet or in a steamer basket. Seal the Instant Pot lid and switch the knob to Sealing, set the Instant Pot for High Pressure / Manual for 3 Minutes, once the timer is up, switch the knob to Venting to do a quick release of the steam, when the pin drops – open the lid. Immediately place the eggs into a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and refrigerate them. Drain the water from the Instant Pot and dry the pot.

  • 3)

    Place 1 Tablespoon of Oil into the Instant Pot and choose Sauté on the “More” option. Once the display shows “hot” add the Pork Belly and white sections of the Green Onions. Sauté until the pork belly is slightly brown on all sides. Remove and discard the green onions.

  • 4)

    Add ¼ Cup Sake, ½ Cup Mirin, ½ Cup Soy Sauce, ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar and ¾ Cup Water. Scrape the bottom of your pot to make sure there’s nothing stuck. Press Cancel on the Instant Pot to turn off Sauté mode. Seal the Instant Pot lid and switch the knob to Sealing. Choose High Pressure / Manual and set for 30 Minutes, once the timer is up, wait 15 minutes before switching the knob to Venting to release the rest of the steam, once the pin drops – open the lid.

  • 5)

    Press Cancel on the Instant Pot and choose Sauté on the “Less” option. Add the soft boiled eggs and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn the eggs several times to ensure even browning and absorption of the sauce. The eggs should be perfectly hard boiled once they have simmered. Serve with short grain rice, steamed vegetables and karashi. Enjoy!

↓ Supplies to make this recipe ↓


6 Comments

  • Janie

    February 16, 2019 at 11:08 am

    Hi! I came across your recipe and it looks so yummy and easier than the others I’ve searched online.
    My question is this: After the 30mins, do I let it continue to warm while I’m waiting the 15mins to quick release or do I turn off the instant pot completely while it’ releasing?

    I hope this makes sense.

    Looking forward to hearing from you as I am dying to try out this recipe but a little scared.

    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

    1. Van

      February 16, 2019 at 11:57 am

      Hi Janie, while you’re waiting for the natural pressure release, you leave it on Keep Warm. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  • Roger

    March 31, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    This dish was amazing! Everything came out perfectly cooked, including the super tender pork and just as described eggs. I saw pork belly on sale in Costco and had no idea what to do with it. My Japanese friend said it rivals her mom’s home-cooked version, which takes substantially longer to prepare.

    Reply

    1. Van

      April 1, 2019 at 5:29 am

      That’s awesome Roger, thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

  • Evans

    August 11, 2021 at 1:54 pm

    I’ve made this three times and every time I’ve done it it’s come out PERFECTLY, but the last time I doubled the recipe and when unopened the instant pot it wasn’t done yet, how should I adjust the time for a larger batch?

    Reply

    1. Van

      August 11, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Hi Evans, it should have the same cooking time even if you double the recipe. Were the pork belly pieces cut to the usual size of 1-1.5 inch squares? You could try adding 10 minutes to the cooking time (keep NPR time the same).

      Reply

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Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (6)

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Instant Pot Japanese Braised Pork Belly Recipe (Kakuni) – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between chashu and kakuni? ›

Kakuni is similar to chashu in that it's simmered pork belly, but this version comes in chunks and is modeled after the Chinese method of red braising. Bacon can be sliced and added to the simmering broth, or stir-fried briefly before topping the bowl.

Why is my braised pork belly tough? ›

If your pork belly is tough after braising, it meant that either the pork belly needs to be braised longer or it was cooked at too high heat. Try to braise the pork belly at a medium simmer. Also, you can try braising the pork belly in beer. It'll tenderize the pork belly and also get rid of porky flavor.

What is Kakuni in Japan? ›

Kakuni is a Japanese-style braised pork. The name translate to "square simmer", which usually refers to the shape.

What is pork belly in Japanese? ›

Pork Vocabulary
VocabularyJapanesePronunciation
Pork bellyバラ肉bara niku
Back ribバックリブbakku ribu
Bone-in loin骨付きロースhonetsuki rosu
Hamもも肉momo niku
5 more rows
Aug 3, 2022

Is braised pork belly unhealthy? ›

Because pork belly contains so much fat, it's high in calories. It has roughly 585 calories per 4 ounces (113 grams) ( 1 ). Therefore, it may not be a great option for people trying to lose weight or decrease calorie intake.

Does pork belly get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

The secret to cooking pork belly is the combination of a gentle heat to tenderise the meat and short, high temperature blasts to crisp up the skin on the outside. Typically, recipes call for around 2 hrs at 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then a further 30 mins or so at 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

How long does it take for pork belly to be tender? ›

Roast in a slow oven for 2 1/2 hours at 140°C/285°F so the flesh becomes tender; Level the pork so the skin is level (ie. as horizontal as possible) by propping up the belly with balls of foil beneath. This makes the crackling cook evenly = perfect crackling.

What's the difference between char siu and chashu? ›

Chashu is a type of Japanese braised pork that is commonly used as a topping for ramen, a popular noodle soup dish. Chashu is derived from the Chinese word “char siu”, which means “fork roast”, and refers to the traditional method of skewering and roasting pork over a fire.

Is chashu same as pork belly? ›

Chashu pork is a popular ramen topping throughout Japan. It's made by slowly braising pork belly to make it melt-in-your-mouth tender.

What is Kakuni in ramen? ›

Kakuni is a southern Japanese dish that's made by simmering cubes of pork belly in aromatics and seasonings until it's melt-in-your-mouth tender. My version uses a mild braising liquid that makes this Kakuni perfect for using as a topping for ramen, udon, rice, and even sandwiches.

What does chashu mean in Japanese? ›

In Japanese, chashu means. simmered or braised pork. We have tucked the braised.

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