Pork with Caramel

Tender pieces of pork belly, lacquered in a deep amber, glossy sauce. The fat becomes translucent, the meat falls apart with a fork, and the sweet-salty balance is highlighted by subtle spices.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1266
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 38 g
• Fat: 112 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Pork belly ( in 3cm cubes )
• 100 g White sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 piece Onion ( sliced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( crushed )
• 2 piece star anise
• 150 ml Mineral water
• 1 tbsp Peanut oil
• 20 g Fresh ginger ( peeled and finely minced )

Instructions

1. Meat and aromatics preparation

   Cut the pork belly into 3 cm cubes. Thinly slice the onion, mince the ginger, and crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.

2. Searing the pork

   In a hot skillet with peanut oil, brown the pork cubes on all sides. The meat should be well-colored and the fat should start to melt.

3. Making the caramel

   Remove the meat. In the same skillet, pour in the white sugar. Let it melt without stirring until you get a dark brown caramel, almost smoking. Carefully deglaze with mineral water to stop the cooking.

4. Simmering and glazing

   Return the meat to the pan with the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, and star anise. Cover and simmer over low heat. The sauce should reduce until it coats the spoon and becomes syrupy.

Chef's tips

• Never stir the sugar while it's caramelizing, or it might crystallize.
• If the sauce is too thin at the end, remove the lid and increase the heat to reduce it to a syrupy consistency.

Storage

Keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. The dish is even better reheated as the flavors infuse the meat further.