If you’re looking for that ultimate melt-in-your-mouth pork belly recipe with bold flavor and sticky-sweet glaze, this Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is it! Slowly simmered until tender, then pan-fried and coated in a glossy, caramelized sauce, this dish is restaurant-quality but easy enough to make at home. It’s perfect served with jasmine rice or steamed veggies, and will absolutely wow your dinner guests (or just treat yourself on a weeknight!).
Let’s Talk About the Process:
This dish starts by simmering pork belly slices in a flavorful stock bath loaded with garlic, ginger, and a splash of rice wine. After slow-cooking to tender perfection, we give the pork a quick pan-fry to get those crispy edges, then coat everything in a homemade sticky glaze made with soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and a touch of lemongrass. Add a sprinkle of scallions and chili on top—and boom, you’ve got takeout-level magic at home.
Ingredients:
For the Pork Belly:
- 2.2 lbs pork belly slices, skin removed, cut into index-finger-length pieces
- 4 ¼ cups hot chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced or paste)
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
For the Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced or paste)
- 1 red chili, finely chopped (optional for spice)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste
Garnish:
- Chopped green onions
- Extra chopped red chilies (optional)
Instructions:
1In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine pork belly slices, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
2Remove the pork from the stock and pat dry with paper towels. (Save the broth—it’s great for noodle soup!) Cut the pork into bite-sized chunks.
3In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of oil with ginger, chili, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemongrass paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
4Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chunks with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry until golden and slightly crispy, turning frequently.
5Pour the glaze into the skillet and toss to coat. Continue cooking for 2–3 minutes, turning the pork often, until it becomes glossy and sticky.
6Top with chopped green onions and red chili if desired. Serve with rice or noodles and enjoy every sticky bite!
Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs pork belly slices skin removed, cut into index-finger-sized pieces
- 4 ¼ cups chicken stock hot
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp white sugar
Glaze:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 1 red chili chopped
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemongrass paste
To Serve:
- Chopped green onions
- Extra chopped chilies optional
Instructions
- Add pork belly, stock, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and sugar to a large pot. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
- Remove pork from stock and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper, ginger, chili, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemongrass paste.
- Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and fry until golden.
- Pour in the glaze and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until sticky and caramelized.
- Serve topped with chopped scallions and chilies.
Notes
- Make ahead: Cook the pork up to the slow-cooking stage and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and check your stock ingredients.
- Spice it up: Add extra chili or a splash of chili oil.
- Slow Cooker Option: Simmer pork in slow cooker on high for 4–5 hrs or low for 6–7 hrs.
