Buta No Kakuni or Japanese Braised Pork Belly

Main:  Pork Dish

Aside from filling soups, fall means heavy stews for our family.

Autumn sights & sounds in our part of the world.

The original recipe for this Japanese stew dish calls for the use of pork belly. In our quest for "healthier" meals, I used instead boneless pork leg.  You can use pork shoulder too.  The success of this dish is a little fat, sorry.  

You can use a regular pot or Dutch oven (better; keeps the meat moisture in).  I used instead a slow cooker.  I just plonked everything in and left it slow cooking for 6 hours.

Ingredients and Process (enough for 2 meals for 4 people)

• Grease bottom and sides of slow cooker.
• Cut 3 pounds of pork into cubes. Place them at the bottom of cooker.
  

• Add 10 slices of ginger and 3 stalks of chopped scallions on top of pork cubes.
  

• In one go, pour in: 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce,

1/3 cup sake (or dry sherry)

2 tablespoons sriracha

1/2 cup water

Slow cook for 6 hours until meat is REALLY tender.

• If using regular pot or Dutch oven, add more water to barely cover the meat.  Boil then simmer until meat is tender. Regularly check to see if you have to add more water.  Bring up to boil each time then simmer.  This would take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• When the pork is close to done, hard boil eggs. Once eggs are cooked, rinse under cool water and remove shells.  Slice eggs in half.
  

• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tender pork to another container.
  

• Pour the liquid in a big enough pot.  Boil to reduce and thicken the liquid for 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the braising liquid so it will absorb some of the flavour.  Boil 5 more minutes.  
  

• Then add the pork.  Gently mix (you want the eggs intact) and transfer to serving dishes.

• If using Dutch oven or regular pot, just leave the braising liquid in pot to boil and reduce.
• Top meat dish with freshly chopped scallions.
  

• Serve with either rice or ramen noodles. Oishi!!!!