Winner, winner pork belly dinner! My Sticky Chinese Pork Belly has quickly become a family favorite.
This Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is tender, sticky, sweet, crispy, and just a touch spicy. It pairs beautifully with rice, ramen, or noodles, and is equally satisfying on its own for low-carb or keto diners.
Recently I found fresh pork belly slabs at Costco that they cut to order. I grabbed more than I needed—seven pounds—planning to cure some for homemade bacon and use the rest for a Chinese-inspired dish. The result exceeded expectations: savory, sticky bites that disappear fast at the table.
How to make Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
The recipe begins with a slow braise. Pork belly simmers gently in a fragrant liquid made from chicken stock, fresh grated ginger, crushed red pepper, garlic, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar for about two hours. This tenderizes the meat and builds flavor.
After braising, the pork belly is cut into 1-inch cubes. These are quickly pan-fried in a hot skillet with a little vegetable oil to crisp and caramelize the edges—this contrast of melting fat and crunchy exterior is what makes the dish so irresistible.
Once browned, the pork gets coated in a glossy sweet-and-spicy sauce. The sauce, made with honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and a splash of rice wine vinegar, reduces quickly to a sticky glaze that clings to each cube.
Cook the sauce with the pork just until it becomes bubbly, sticky, and slightly thickened. Finish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds for color and crunch, then serve over steamed rice.
I like to serve this with simple vegetables—oven-roasted asparagus or steamed green beans dressed with butter, salt and pepper are easy complements that keep the plate balanced and bright.
This dish is rich, vibrant, and very satisfying. It’s a great make-ahead option too: braise earlier in the day, then finish in a hot pan just before serving to preserve the crisp edges and sticky glaze.
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.
If you love Asian flavors, try other recipes on the site such as Blood Orange Chicken, Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Asian Shrimp Cakes with Mango Chutney and Honey Sriracha Sauce. If you make this Sticky Chinese Pork Belly, please rate the recipe and leave a comment—I’d love to hear how it turned out. Share a photo on social media and tag your posts with #SAVORWITHJENNIFER so I can see your versions!
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Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork belly
Braising Liquid
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sticky Sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Other
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Divide the pork belly into two slabs.
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Place the pork belly and the braising liquid ingredients in a covered sauté pan.
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Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.
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Remove the pork belly and discard the braising liquid.
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Cube the pork belly into 1-inch pieces.
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Whisk the sticky sauce ingredients—ginger, red pepper flakes, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and rice wine vinegar—until the sugar dissolves.
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Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a very hot fry pan.
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Add the cubed pork belly and fry until the edges are crispy and caramelized.
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Drain excess drippings if needed.
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Reduce the heat to medium.
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Add the sauce and cook until it thickens and becomes sticky, about 2 minutes.
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Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
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Serve over rice and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
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