Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)

i. Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with enough water to submerge your pork belly completely, about 2 liters should do it. Set the pot over medium-high heat and let it come to a gentle boil, then dial back to a simmer.

While the water heats, you’ve got just enough time to prep your pork.

ii. Place a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, lay the pork belly block in the pan.

Sear each side until golden patches form and you hear a satisfying crackle, about 90 seconds per side. You’re not cooking through here, you’re kickstarting flavor.

i. Transfer the seared pork block to a cutting board and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Just long enough that you can handle it comfortably.

ii. Slice it into uniform cubes, roughly 4-5 cm (about 1½ inches) on each side. Even cubes mean synchronized collagen conversion, so every piece finishes tender at the same moment instead of leaving you with a mix of silky and chewy bites.

iii. Slip the cubes into your simmering water and cook for 10 minutes at a gentle bubble. You might see grayish foam and milky fat rise to the surface, this is the scum of coagulated proteins and impurities. Skim it off with a mesh spoon or ladle as it appears. In a way, this step is cleaning too.

Don’t stress about catching every speck, but removing most of it now keeps your final sauce clear and your pork tasting refined.

i. Place a colander or mesh sieve in your sink and pour the pot’s contents through it, discarding the cloudy blanching liquid. Give the pork cubes a quick rinse under warm running water, turning them gently with your fingers to wash away any clinging scum or loose excess fat.

This might feel counterintuitive, but you’re resetting the surface for the braising liquid to come. A clean slate means your seasoning adheres directly to meat, not to a layer of greasy residue.

ii. Rinse out your pot to remove any lingering scum, then refill it with fresh water, enough to cover the pork. Bring it to a boil over high heat. While you wait, slice a Japanese leek (negi) into three sections and cut fresh ginger into thick coins. Reserve some of the leek’s white portion for garnishing later.

iii. Once the water boils, lower the heat to a bare simmer (tiny bubbles lazily breaking the surface, not a rolling boil) and add the pork, leek green, and ginger.

iv. Simmer for 1 hour, keeping the liquid just high enough to submerge the meat at all times. If the level drops, top it off with hot water. After an hour, turn off the heat entirely.

i. Measure out 500ml of cooking liquid from your pot. This is a light pork stock, subtly perfumed by ginger and leek, and it will become the backbone of your sauce.

ii. Pour it into a large saucepan and add lager beer, honey, light brown sugar, and soy sauce. Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

i. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and carefully add your pork cubes to the saucepan. The liquid should mostly cover the meat, if not, add a splash of hot water.

ii. Place a drop lid (otoshibuta) directly on the surface of the liquid. This keeps the pork submerged, promotes even cooking, and minimizes evaporation so your sauce concentrates steadily rather than spiking salty too soon.

What Is a Drop Lid?

An otoshibuta is a flat lid that sits inside the pot, directly on the food, rather than on top of the pot itself. Traditional versions are made from wood or stainless steel, but silicone models are easy to find online.

In a pinch, you can even make shift otoshibuta out of baking parchment!

A standard pot lid traps steam and can raise the temperature past a gentle simmer, risking a rolling boil that toughens meat. It also allows ingredients to bob and float, so tops of cubes can dry out, a drop lid weighs it down while letting the steam escape.

iii. Simmer for 30 minutes, resisting the urge to stir or poke.

i. Turn off the heat and let the pot cool undisturbed. Once the pot is cool enough to handle comfortably, you can slip peeled soft-boiled eggs into the liquid for marinated eggs (ajitama). Let everything marinate together for at least 1 hour at room temperature; for deeper flavor, or transfer to the refrigerator and hold overnight.

ii. When you’re ready to serve, return the pot to the stove over medium heat and warm gently for about 15 minutes, or until the pork is heated through. Remove the eggs after 5-10 minutes to prevent overcooking.

iii. While the kakuni reheats, thinly slice the reserved white part of the leek into fine shreds and soak them in a bowl of lightly salted cold water. This technique produces shiraganegi, literally “white-hair onions”, a classic Japanese garnish that adds crunch, a mild oniony bite, and striking visual contrast atop the glossy brown pork.

iv. After 5 minutes, drain and pat dry. The cold soak crisps the shreds and mellows any harsh bite.

i. Arrange the warm kakuni cubes in shallow bowls, spooning the glossy sauce generously over each piece. Nestle halved marinated eggs alongside, cut-side up so the jammy yolk is on display. Add a small mound of blanched greens (baby bok choy, spinach, or chrysanthemum leaves work beautifully) for color and a fresh counterpoint to the richness.

ii. Crown the pork with a tangle of shiraganegi and place a dab of Japanese mustard (karashi) on the side. Serve over steaming short-grain rice, or present as a standalone side dish.

The braising liquid from kakuni is a flavorful concoction, rich with the essence of the pork and the depth of soy sauce. Discarding it would indeed be wasteful. Here are some creative ways to repurpose this umami-packed liquid:

• Noodle Soups: Transform it into a base for ramen or udon! If you have any remaining kakuni, they make an excellent topping, too. The braising liquid as it is is too sweet so I recommend mixing with water 1:1 and then build flavor little by little with soy sauce, salt, pepper, or chicken bouillon powder.
• Japanese Curry’s Secret Ingredient: Elevate Japanese-style curry with this flavorful broth. Gradually add to taste and witness the depth it brings to your curry.
• Fried Rice: Use the residual lard as your cooking oil and a dash of the marinade for seasoning to make a fantastic chahan!
• Marinated Eggs: Create ajitama eggs by reducing the marinade a little, then immerse soft-boiled eggs in it for a delightful flavor infusion.

On the other hand, the plain pork broth (from the initial simmering stage) is unseasoned and versatile. Use it as a soup base for my miso ramen, tantanmen, shio ramen, or shoyu ramen recipes! It adds body and subtle pork richness without locking you into a specific flavor profile, making it perfect for ramen!