Slow-Braised Okinawan Pork Belly — Okinawa Rafute
Okinawa's most celebrated pork dish, whole pork belly slow-braised for hours in awamori, soy, and brown sugar until collapsing and lacquered.
Japanese
Categories
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Cut pork belly skin-side down, slice ginger into 2 pieces, cut scallions into 2 stalks, halve pak choi lengthways. Measure awamori, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and dashi stock. Mix sesame oil and soy sauce for pak choi dressing.
Boil
Place pork belly in medium pot, cover with cold water, bring to hard boil 5 minutes. Drain, rinse thoroughly. Return pork skin-side down to pot, add awamori, simmer over medium heat 5 minutes until alcohol cooks off.
Braise
Add dashi, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, ginger, and scallion. Return to gentle simmer, cover with drop lid, braise over low heat 1.5–2 hours, turning pork every 45 minutes, until skin translucent and meat tender when pierced.
Reduce
Remove pork and rest 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, reduce braising liquid 6–8 minutes until thick and deeply glossy. While liquid reduces, blanch pak choi 2 minutes in boiling water, drain, toss with sesame oil and soy sauce.
Glaze
Slice rested pork into 3cm pieces. Return to reduced glaze, turn to coat all surfaces evenly with the lacquered finish.
Plate
Arrange sliced rafute over steamed Japanese short-grain rice, spoon reduced glaze over the top. Serve pak choi and 0.5 tsp karashi alongside on the same plate.
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