This Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is one of my absolute favourite recipes on the blog. Check out my three step process for pork that's meltingly tender, with a crispy exterior and gloriously sticky/sweet/spicy coating.
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I wonder how many recipes I've published with sticky in the title...
Sticky chicken stir fry, Gingerbread cake with Sticky Whisky glaze, sticky Asian sea bass this sticky pork belly and AT LEAST ten others (just did a quick count). I'm all about the sticky. Just call me sticky Nicky.
Actually don't. That sounds weird.
I sometimes like to kid myself and call it caramelized - like this 'caramelized beef brisket'. But at the end of the day, I just mean coated in some kind of sugar and then cooked until you reach the dark brown, shiny stage, creating an intense flavour that takes whatever you’ve just made to a whole new level. How could anything finished in that way not taste amazing?
For this recipe, the sticky layer is added right at the end. Don't be fooled though. Just because the pork hasn't been marinating for hours, doesn't mean it's not going to taste amazing (I confused myself with double negatives there, but I'm basically saying it tastes amazing even though we're only glazing at the end).
📋 What do we need?
For the slow-cooked pork belly
For the sticky glaze
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- This pork actually has three layers of flavour. The first coming from being slow-cooked in a pan for 2 hours with stock, garlic, ginger, rice wine and a little sugar:
- The second layer comes from being crisped in a pan with a little vegetable oil and seasoning (it's actually hard not to just stop right here and eat it from the pan like this).
- The final layer coming from the soy/chilli/sugar/lemongrass and a couple of other ingredients that are stirred together, then poured over the fried pork, before bubbling away until thick and glossy.
👩🍳PRO TIP The fat can spit quite a bit at the frying stage so we use a splatter screen/guard (<<-- affiliate link) to prevent hot oil spitting out all over the place.
🍽️ What to serve it with
That's it. Three layers of flavour in a simple recipe that really does take minimal effort.
🍲 More fantastic Chinese recipes
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Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
Ingredients
Slow Cooked Pork Belly:
- 1 kg (2.2lb) rindless pork belly slices - chopped in half (each piece being approx. the length of your index finger)
- 1 litre (4+ ¼ cups) hot chicken stock
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger - peeled and minced (or 1 tbsp of ginger puree)
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
Glaze:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger - peeled and minced
- 1 red chilli - finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon grass paste
To Serve:
- Chopped spring onions
- Chopped red chillies
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add pork belly slices, stock, ginger, garlic, rice wine and sugar to a heavy-based pan. I use a cast iron casserole pan.1 kg (2.2lb) rindless pork belly slices, 1 litre (4+ ¼ cups) hot chicken stock, 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Bring to the boil, then place a lid on, turn down the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pork from the pan and pat it dry using kitchen towels. You can reserve the liquid if you like (Perfect for a Thai or Chinese noodle soup).
- Chop the pork into bite sized chunks.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 tbsp of the oil, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, the ginger, chilli, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and lemongrass paste.1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, 1 red chilli, 2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp lemon grass paste, pinch of salt and pepper
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to a frying pan and heat over a medium-high heat.
- Add in the pork, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and fry, turning regularly, until the pork starts to turn golden. Be careful as the oil can splatter at this stage (I recommend a splatter guard).pinch of salt and pepper
- Now pour the glaze over the pork and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, turning the pork often, until the pork looks dark and sticky.
- Remove from the heat and serve. I like to top with a few spring onions and chopped chillies.Chopped spring onions, Chopped red chillies
Video
✎ Notes
Replace the rice wine with sherry (usually gluten free, but best to check).
Also make sure you use gluten free stock. Vegetarian Option? I haven't tried this with a meat-like alternative, but my Asian-style cauliflower wings make a great alternative. Can I use my slow cooker? Yes, you can do the first stage in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours. Keep an eye on the level of liquid and top up with a little more if needed. Nutritional information is per serving.
Nutrition
This post was first published in March 2015. Updated in October 2018 and then again in July 2022 with new photos, video and some housekeeping.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Equipment:
In order to make this recipe you will need:
- A splatter guard/screen - to avoid hot fat spitting when frying the belly pork
- A good Kitchen knife. In the video I use my Leiths knife however I have recently bought this Dalstrong one and love it.
- Chopping Board
- Cast Iron Casserole Dish
- Measuring Jug
- Fying Pan/Skillet or a Wok.
- Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them.
- A small mixing bowl to mix the glaze ingredients in. Instead of a mixing bowl we use loads of these for mixing, prepping, and serving.
Christine says
This was the bomb even though I forgot to fry the boiled pork before adding the sauce.
Paula Rebel Stratman says
This is by far the best recipe. My family request this recipe every week.
Ej says
Can I use pork steak peices instead of Pork Belly ??
Dave says
Wonderful glaze. Would it work with chicken wings
Sarah says
unfortunately my pork didnt go dark or sticky, it just didnt have that caramelisation. Maybe I will fry off in two batches first before adding the glaze. It was just soft and mushy, but I will try again as i think it could be a great dish.
Andrea says
This is my 4th attempt at this recipe. The 1st was perfectly melt in the mouth yet crispy from the final stage of cooking. So good!
Be careful when adapting the recipe for more or less serves as it's easy to stew or burn if there's too much or too little meat.
Saved this one for future use, I can see it becoming a family fave x
Kristine says
This was FABULOUS. I mistakenly bought pork belly slices instead of bacon. I had no idea what I was going to do with three pounds of it. Even though I could not get my hands on lemongrass paste and ended up substituting a jalapeno for the chilli pepper, the meat and sauce in this recipe were a delicious combination of flavors. Thank you for the strong recommendation about the spatter screen when frying the pork belly up; you saved me a lot of scrubbing and hot fat burns. We threw it over rice and had some coleslaw as a side dish to cool things down. Awesome bbq-like summer meal. Thank you!
Pauline Majurey says
Fantastic recipe, they requested more. Next time double the recipe
Mandy Sims says
Found this on a search for pork belly recipes! And I’m so glad I did it was delicious and so easy! Used the braising stock to cook some veg to go with it so only needed two pans!! Will definitely be trying more of your recipes!
Howard says
Nicky, really want to give this recipe a try. Can you confirm your ingredient of Rice Wine? Are you talking Rice Wine or Rice Wine Vinegar? Would something like the Shaoxing product suffice, or are we talking Saki for example, or something else ? Thanks
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Howard, yes, Shaoxing is perfect.
Dita says
Absolutely delicious! Needs double the sauce if you are having it with rice.
Lore says
Question, did you really double all the elements for the glaze, in that case? Just worried, the ginger might get overpowering or it might be too hot/spicy because of two chillies ...
Fran Williams says
One of the best things I’ve ever cooked and I cook a LOT!
Teresa says
Impresses no end of guests and me every time!
Fred Light says
Love this recipe, thank you.
Fo you have an air fryer version?
Vivienne Mitchell says
Easy and tasty. Will make this one again.