Sticky Sesame Pork Belly Recipe - Tasting With Tina (2024)

FAQs

Why is my braised pork belly tough? ›

If your pork belly is tough after braising, it meant that either the pork belly needs to be braised longer or it was cooked at too high heat. Try to braise the pork belly at a medium simmer. Also, you can try braising the pork belly in beer. It'll tenderize the pork belly and also get rid of porky flavor.

Slow roast 1 1/2 hours – Roast the pork in a 140°C/285°F oven (120°C fan) for a total of 2 1/2 hours. Keeping the temperature this low allows the meat to become tender, for the fat to render (melt) so we get the “confit” cooking effect, and also to dry out the pork skin yet keep it supple.

You can slow cook it in a slow cooker or oven at a low temperature for several hours until it's fully cooked and tender. This will help break down the tough connective tissues and collagen in the meat, resulting in a succulent and tender pork belly.

Uncooked pork belly should be wrapped as tightly as possible in freezer bags or wraps, or store in an air-tight container towards the bottom of the fridge. Store at 5°c or below in the fridge (check your fridge is cold enough by using a fridge thermometer) for up to 2 days and 4-6 months in the freezer at -18°C.

You can slow cook it in a slow cooker or oven at a low temperature for several hours until it's fully cooked and tender. This will help break down the tough connective tissues and collagen in the meat, resulting in a succulent and tender pork belly.

Depending on the size and thickness of the cut and the temperature, pork belly can take 2-3 hours to cook. It's important to cook the meat on low to medium heat for the best results.

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin. Cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 2 hrs 15 mins, then turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for a further 35 minutes to crisp the crackling.

White Vinegar helps dry out the skin – but it has a secondary purpose of removing the odour! If you are prepared, place the Pork in the Fridge UNCOVERED overnight – the skin will dry out. When you pre-heat your oven, remove the pork from the fridge and let it return to room temperature.

Can you overcook a pork belly? ›

Can you overcook smoked pork belly? You can overcook anything. If smoked at too high of a temperature or for too long, then the meat will become tough and rubbery. Remove the meat from the heat once it reaches 190-195°F to prevent overcooking, plus don't add too many wood chips and overdo the amount of smoke.

There is no way around this – this is going to be a multi day process. You MUST DRY the pork belly with the skin EXPOSED in the fridge for at least 24 hours (48 hours is better).

Cook approximately 1.5 hours, though a lot will depend on the size of your pork belly. You want to cook until the internal temperature is 160-165°F. Remove meat from oven and remove salt crust. It should come off in pieces.

To cook pork belly properly, we have to give it the time and temperatures it needs to render both the fat and the collagen. This usually means low, slow cooking. Any meat will expel its available free water at temperatures above 180°F (82°C), becoming tough and dry.

Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 4. Dry the belly slices with kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce and toss the slices in the sauce in a roasting tin. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1hr 30 mins, until completely tender.

Keep an eye on the cooking time to avoid overcooking the pork, as it can make the meat tough. Let the boiled pork belly rest for a few minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in succulent meat.

A lean cut of pork does not get delicious like that, but it does get tender if you cook it long enough once you've gone past the point of cooking it until it's just done (around 140-145 degrees).

Stew the pork or use a slow-cooker.

As with braising, this type of cooking is great for softening up tough pieces of pork or cuts with lots of connective tissue (like shoulder cuts and country-style ribs). Stewing times for pork can vary but are generally comparable to braising times.