Slow-Braised Pork Belly in Barley Miso

Name: Slow-Braised Pork Belly in Barley Miso
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 quantity of steamed white rice; 1 kg (2¼ lb) skinless pork belly (or baby back pork ribs), cut into 3cm (1¼ inch) cubes; 1 kg (2¼ lb) skinless pork belly (or baby back pork ribs), cut into 3cm (1¼ inch) cubes; 4 tbsp cooking sake (optional); 1 tbsp sunflower oil (or use some of the fat from the pork belly); 1 tbsp sunflower oil (or use some of the fat from the pork belly); 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 125 g (4 oz/½ cup) light-brown barley miso; 2 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp water, or use 4 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp water, or use 4 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp water, or use 4 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil; fine sea salt or dark soy sauce, to taste; fine sea salt or dark soy sauce, to taste; 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced; 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced; ½ tsp toasted white sesame seeds, to garnish; micro herbs, to garnish (optional)

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Japanese Larder

By Luiz Hara

Published 2018

About

Barley miso has an earthy and wholesome flavour that goes well with pork but other types of miso can also be used. The sake is optional but it will help take away any pork smells and tenderize the meat. The belly should be meltingly soft and the brown miso sauce reduced and very flavoursome. This is an ideal dish for your week’s lunchbox as the flavours improve over time, so do make double quantities if you can. All you need is steamed white rice or rustic bread to go with it.

Ingredients

Asia
Japan
Lunch
Main course

Ingredients

Method