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.

Close up overhead image of sticky Chinese pork belly, topped with chillies and spring onions in a silver frying pan.

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

Ingredients for slow cooked pork belly on a wooden table.

For the sticky glaze

Ingredients for the glaze for sticky Chinese pork belly laid out on a wooden table. There is a list of the ingredients as an overlay in a blue box.

📺 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.

Overhead image of sticky Chinese pork belly in a silver frying pan. The pan is on a wooden table and there are spring onions, chillies and fried rice in bowls around the pan.

🍽️ What to serve it with

That’s it.  Three layers of flavour in a simple recipe that really does take minimal effort.

A bowl of Chinese sticky pork belly pieces against a dark background. There is a piece being lifted from the bowl with a pair of wooden chopsticks. There are ingredients scattered around and a bowl of colourful vegetables in the background.

🍲 More fantastic Chinese recipes

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Close up image of bowl of Chinese sticky pork belly pieces. A piece is being taken from the bowl using a pair of chopsticks.
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4.97 from 166 votes

Sticky Chinese Pork Belly

By Nicky Corbishley
Sticky Chinese Belly Pork – Slow-cooked until meltingly tender and then finished with a sticky chilli glaze.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 small servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Ingredients

Slow Cooked Pork Belly:

  • 1 kg (2.2 lbs) rindless pork belly slices chopped in half (each piece being approx. the length of your index finger)
  • 1 litre (4 1/4 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 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 (2.2 lbs) rindless pork belly slices, 1 litre (4 1/4 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, ginger, chilli, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemongrass paste.
    pinch salt and pepper, 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, 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 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 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

Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make it up to the end of step 2 (where the pork is slow cooked and then drained). Then quickly cool, cover and refrigerate (for up to two days) or freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and frying the meat.
You can also make the sauce ahead, then cover and refrigerate it up to a day ahead.
Can I make it Gluten free?
Yes! Replace the soy sauce with tamari. I’ve done this several times and it works great.
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

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 654mg | Potassium: 49mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 11.2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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:

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Really tender and easy to make. Didn’t taste it when I was preparing and cooking and when I had my first bite at dinner. I was in heaven. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  2. Nicky this was divine! Ideas as to what to do with the “stock” left over in the slow cooker? Thank you. Ilse

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Great recipe. Simple and yummy. I used kaffir leaves (chiffonade). With the remaining stock after simmering the pork, I skimmed off the fat and used the fragrant stock to cook the rice to go with the sticky pork. Thanks for a fantastic recipe.

    Reply

  4. How does it turn out if I leave the skin or rind on it? The bellies I buy all have the rind on it. I can take it off but was wondering what it would be like with it left on?

    The recipe looks great! I plan on trying it, with our without the rind!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jeff,
      The rind won’t crispy up unfortunately. It will be chewy if left on. You could cook with the rind on for the first stage (in the liquid), then slice it off. It’s easier to remove after it’s been cooked.

      Reply

      1. Thank you for your reply, Nicky. I bought some belly with the rind and just cut it off and made it without it. I was very good. I cut the bellies a bit too small and rendered too much fat so they were a bit more crunchy than I would have liked. But first tries are never perfect. I will definitely do it again!

  5. Hi Nicky made sticky chicken a number of times Looking for the perfect one. Tried to watch video by pressing Jump to video Also tried to scroll but not showing up Going to make tonight xx

    Reply

    1. Hi Linda,

      Im not sure why the video wasn’t working for you but i have updated it to be the video from our youtube channel so hopefully it should be working fine for you now 🙂

      If you wanted to catch all of our videos when we post a new one you can check out our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/kitchensanctuary

      Thanks

      Chris & Nicky

      Reply

  6. I made this last night, step 2 was just as off putting to my kids as I expected but the end result was beautiful. By request I did it with noodles which I cooked in the broth (after removing meat with a slotted spoon), very tasty, fast and reduced washing up

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Rarely post comments for online recipes, but this was absolutely delish. Making it again tonight for friends.

    Reply