Asian Pork Belly and the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot; the current culinary craze which I succumbed to in the summer. Six months later and I have only recently braved using it! I’m so pleased I have. I’ve been experimenting and have come up with two mouth-watering Asian pork belly dishes – the sort that would take at least a good hour and a half with regular interference from the cook, but I’m able to prep in five minutes, let the Instant Pot do its work for 20 minutes or so, and we’re having meltingly soft (I could cut it with a spoon!) juicy pork belly.

So, here are my two dishes; one Chinese, the other Korean. Both require pork belly cut into one-inch cubes (or thereabouts). As much as you would like although bear in mind that this fatty meat is rich. I went for about 300g for two people. Both recipes require high pressure for 20-25 minutes. I was eager to eat so did quick release however you could let it depress naturally.

The Korean recipe requires 1 tbsp gochujang paste added to the pot, then using the Instant Pot cup measure (160ml) fill it to 1/4 with half dark soy sauce and half rice wine vinegar. Add 4 tsp caster sugar and a tsp of sesame oil. Fill the rest of the cup with water and add to the pot. Add another half cup of water. Add the cubed pork belly and set the pressure to high and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once it is cooked and the pressure released, remove the lid and switch to sauté mode. Add 2 tsp of slackened cornflour and stir until pleasingly thickened.

Serve with rice and steamed greens.

The Chinese version is based on the favourite dish of Chairman Mao, red braised pork belly. For this you will need to add 3 tbsp dark soy sauce to the Instant Pot cup and top up with water. Add this to the Instant Pot along with an inch of diced root ginger, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick or piece of cassia bark, 2 tsp of chilli flakes and 2 tbsp of caster sugar. Add the cubed pork belly and set the pressure to high and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once it is cooked and the pressure released, remove the lid and switch to sauté mode. Add 2 tsp of slackened cornflour and stir until thickened.

Serve with rice and steamed greens.