Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (2025)

FAQs

How do you cook pork belly so it's not tough? ›

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.

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.

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.

Fresh pork belly is succulent and richly flavorful and is often served in small portions. Pork belly is at its best and is most tender when prepared using a slow cooking method, such as braising. Pork belly is a popular menu item among restaurant chefs who appreciate its versatility, flavor, and texture.

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.

Mix vinegar, baking soda and salt, and baste over the skin, saving a little for an extra baste later. The vinegar will help remove any additional moisture and the baking soda will help the skin bubble. Place in the middle of the oven and roast for approximately 1-1.5 hours depending on the size of the pork belly.

Pork shoulder might start out as a fatty, tough cut of meat, but cook it low and slow for a few hours and it will be transformed into tender, juicy shreds that fall apart with the touch of your fork.

Slow roast 1 1/2 hours – Roast the pork in a 140°C/285°F oven (120°C fan) for a total of 2 1/2 hours. Keeping the temperature this low allows the meat to become tender, for the fat to render (melt) so we get the “confit” cooking effect, and also to dry out the pork skin yet keep it supple.

Belly should be about ¾ of the way submerged. Add more chicken stock, if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 – 2¼ hours or until very tender, stirring every 10-15 minutes to keep the bottom from burning.

We soak the pork in water for about 20 to 25 minutes to wash away excess fat. Then we steam it for about 15 to 20 minutes until it's about 70% done. After that, we take it out of the water and poke holes in the pork with a needle and then rub it all over with salt and spices. Then we air dry it with a fan for 12 hours.

How to make pork extremely tender? ›

How do you make pork soft and tender? Soak your pork in a salt-based brine before cooking it using your desired method. Pork chops need to soak between 12–24 hours, an entire pork tenderloin needs to soak for 6–12 hours, and an entire pork loin requires 2–4 days of soaking.

Tips for Cooking Pork Belly

Second, use plenty of salt! Use far more than you think you need. If you do not use enough salt, the skin will remain chewy and it will not be very tasty at all. The fat layer under the skin will react with the salt causing it to puff up and become the crunchy crackling that tastes so good!

Compared with other cuts of pork, pork belly contains more saturated fat. While saturated fat can be part of a healthy diet, a South Korean study on pork belly intake suggests lowering your total calories from saturated fat. That's because it may be linked to numerous health conditions, including heart disease ( 4 ).

So, streaky pork bacon is pork belly, but pork belly isn't bacon. Instead, pork belly is the whole slab cut from the fleshy underside of a pig. Streaky pork bacon is cut from this slab. Pork belly is unsmoked and uncured, while much bacon found in the U.S. can undergo a lot of processing—not ButcherBox bacon, though.

To tenderize pork before cooking it, try breaking up the tough muscle by hitting it with a meat mallet evenly across the surface of the meat. Then, if you want your pork to be extra tender, you can marinate it in a tenderizing marinade made with acids, like citrus juices, vinegar, or wine.

Brining pork chops is one of the best ways way to guarantee a juicy cooked pork chop. Even a quick 30-minute brine (or up to four hours) makes a big difference. It's not strictly necessary — you can still use this method to make great pork chops even without brining — but if you have some extra time, I recommend it.