I asked my Japanese friend, M, whom I regularly employ as a guinea pig for my Japanese cooking experiments, what his favourite meat dish was. “Pork belly,” he said, without a trace of hesitation. If you’ve ever tasted Japanese-style braised pork belly, it is easy to see why!
豚の角煮 (buta no kakuni — simmered cubed pork) is a dish originating from the island of Kyushu, probably heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine via the port of Nagasaki.
The meat is braised at low-temperature in a liquid seasoned with soy sauce, sake and mirin, often with the addition of ginger and onion, until the collagen breaks down. The resulting chunks of meat, imbibed with the rich, umami sauce, are so tender that you can easily break them up with chopsticks.
I wanted to try making buta no kakuni in my Instant Pot, to reduce the cooking time. That way, I was also able to leave it unattended while I worked, and to have dinner on the table in no time once work was over.
Buta no kakuni is a delectable treat, worth the time, and utterly 口溶け (kuchidoke) — melt-in-the-mouth!
I don’t think M minded being the guinea pig this time around!
Seasonings for 豚の角煮
Just before the lid goes on! Seared pork belly with all the seasonings
Joëlle
Serves 2
Tender pieces of pork belly imbibed in a rich, umami sauce fall apart between your chopsticks. A delectable treat!
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Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Pork belly
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp tallow (or other cooking fat)
- 1/3 cup gluten-free tamari
- 1/3 cup sake
- 1/4 mirin
- 1 cup broth (I used 1/2 cup dashi and 1/2 cup beef broth)
- 1 small leek, or negi (white part), cut into 5cm strips
- 3 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 4 nishime konbu (煮しめ昆布) strips, knotted (optional)
- 1/2 pack enoki mushrooms
- 2 cups bok choy (or other green vegetable)
- 2 scallions, or negi (green part), thinly sliced
- 2 ramen eggs (optional)
Instructions
- Sprinkle the meat with salt on both sides and set the Instant Pot to Saute mode.
- Add your cooking fat and sear the pork belly three minutes on each side, starting with the fatty side.
- Pour your liquid ingredients into the pot liner and add the pieces of leek and ginger.
- Twist the Instant Pot lid into place and, making sure the Steam Release Handle is turned to the Sealing position, set the Pressure Cook program to 35 minutes on high pressure.
- Once fully depressurized, by natural release (about 15 minutes) or by quick release (turning the release handle to the Venting position), flip your slab of pork belly to the other side and put the Instant Pot lid back on.
- Pressure Cook for another 35 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the pressure has been released once more, take the lid off and set the Instant Pot to the Saute program to reduce the sauce. Remove the ginger and leek pieces with a pair of tongs and discard them.
- While the sauce is simmering, prepare your vegetables. Cut the tough stems from the shiitake mushrooms and throw them into the simmering pot along with the knotted konbu pieces (if using). Steam bok choy on the stovetop for three minutes, adding the enoki mushroom for the last minute. Place them inside individual serving bowls.
- Remove the slab of pork belly from the simmering liquid and cut it up into smaller chunks. Add them to the bowls.
- Remove the shiitake mushroom and knotted konbu from the sauce and place them in the bowls.
- Turn the Instant Pot off, pour the reduced sauce over the bowls, garnish with green onion and serve. いただきます！
Optional add-on: ramen eggs (味付け玉子)!
Inspiration and Guidance
Ice or Rice — Rolled Chashu for Ramen
Just One Cookbook — Pressure Cooker Kakuni
❤ Thank you Andy, Jessie and Nami!
