Patience is overrated! Get caramelized succulent pork belly in your tummy in HALF the time than stovetop with this Instant Pot Braised Pork Belly! Just set it, forget it, and let the Instant Pot do all the hard work (while you pretend to be productive hehe).
Juicy melt-in-your mouth pork belly doesn’t have to take ALL dayyy. Better yet, this Chinese braised pork belly recipe is the best kind of hand-off meal when you’re busy (or lazy) AF. This is a quicker & more convenient version of my Hong Shao Rou recipe, which is delicious but takes double the time!
If you love Chinese pork recipes like Char Siu Pork, you know that’s a labor of love needing to be glazed every 10 minutes or so, this Instant Pot recipe does ALL the heavy lifting, so all you gotta do is come hungry! PLUS, if you got leftover pork, toss it in a quick Pork Fried Rice or Pork Lo Mein for an even more filling meal!
🍖 Pork Tips
For this Instant Pot pork belly recipe, go for thick skin-on pork belly with fatty and lean strips throughout. This entree recipe is indulgent & we’re here to feast – you’ll only taste regrets if you try to go lean. As the fat renders in the braising liquid, the leaner parts become insanelyyy tender & melts in your mouth!
Slice pork into 2-inch pieces & no smaller! The pork will shrink slightly once they’re cooked and we don’t want sad tiny pieces of pork – gimme those meaty pieces!
🔪 How to Make Instant Pot Pork Belly
- Slice pork belly in 2-inch pieces, then blanch them by adding pork to a medium-sized pot with enough water to cover the pork. Heat on medium-high heat and boil for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse pork under cold water, then pat dry.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, then add a little oil & brown sugar. Cook until it’s starting to melt, then add the pork to coat well and caramelize. Keep a close eye on the sugar because it can easily burn and turn hard, then you’ll have to start over – sadness!
- Add the braising liquid made of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and water. Mix well then toss in star anise and bay leaves.
- Cover & cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release.
- Remove lid & set to Saute mode. Cook for 5-7 minutes to thicken up the sauce into a glossy glaze. Once it’s the consistency you like, turn off Instant Pot and remove your braised pork belly. Serve them on a bed of steamy hot steamy rice with more classic Chinese recipes for a true feast, like Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce, Egg Fried Rice, and House Special Lo Mein!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Account for Shrinkage: The pork belly will shrink slightly as they cook, so cut them in at least 2-inch pieces for heartier chunks of meat! Cut them as evenly as possible for even cooking.
- Don’t Skip Blanching: It’s tempting to skip this step but this removes the scum from the pork so you have clear glossy glaze! Without this step, your red braised pork will also taste gamier.
- Keep a Close Eye on the Sugar: Don’t step away while cooking the sugar – it’s crucial! The sugar can quickly go from beautifully golden and melted, to rock hard and difficult with a burnt flavor. As soon as you see the sugar dissolving, toss in the pork to caramelize!
- Don’t Overcook Braising Liquid: Cook the braising liquid just enough to reduce to a thick glossy glaze, then remove from the pot. If you overcook it, the sauce will separate & become oily.
- Remove Aromatics: The bay leaves and star anise are added for flavor but aren’t meant to be eaten, so either remove them before serving & let the fam know before digging in!
💭 Recipe FAQs
🥡 What to Serve with Instant Pot Pork Belly
With beautiful gems like these, they deserve to be served a throne of fluffy rice! If you’re entertaining or hosting Christmas recipes and want a full spread, serve it with a comforting bowl of Wonton Soup, fresh Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce, and crunchy Sesame Balls for dessert!
Let’s get cooking!
Get into my secret stash of Goody-Packed Newsletters with meals planned for you & time-saving tips! Want step-by-step videos of how to make my recipes too? I gotchu over at my youtube channel. Aight, enough chatting, more eating!
Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly
Equipment
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ pound lean pork belly*
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
BRAISING LIQUID
- 3 tablespoon Shaoxing wine*
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce*
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce*
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Blanch Pork Belly
- Cut pork belly into about 3-inch cubes. Make sure that every piece of lean meat is attached to some fat when cutting. This will help tenderize the meat while cooking.
- In a medium-sized pot, place pork in the pot with enough cold water to cover the meat. Heat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, or until it’s brought to a rolling boil & the impurities/scum have released from the meat. Drain, rinse under cold water, then set aside.
Braise Pork Belly in Instant Pot
- Heat Instant Pot on Saute mode. Add brown sugar to slowly melt for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on the sugar so it doesn’t burn or begin to harden. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn or begin to harden. Once the sugar starts to dissolve & turn golden, add the pork and coat well in the sugar.
- Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, water, star anise, and bay leaves. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure none of the sugar is stuck to the bottom to prevent burning.
- Change Instant Pot mode to Pressure Cook on High. Cover with the lid sealed and cook for 20 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, release the vent on the lid. Set Instant Pot to Saute mode and cook with the lid off until the sauce starts to turn into a thick glistening glaze, 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. Once it’s the consistency you like, turn off Instant Pot and remove the pork belly. Serve them on a bed of steamy hot rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Lean Pork Belly: I typically buy my pork belly from the Asian market, but you can buy it at any local store if they have it available. Ideally, every piece of lean meat would have some fat attached to it; this will help tenderize the meat and keep it moist while cooking.
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese cooking rice wine that can be easily found at local Asian markets or Amazon.
- Regular Soy Sauce vs Dark Soy Sauce: Regular or light soy sauce adds saltiness to a dish and is the most commonly found type of soy sauce at grocery stores. Dark soy sauce has a slightly thicker consistency and is what gives the red pork belly its signature deep rich color. You can find dark soy sauce at local Asian markets or Amazon.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
My husband is from Hong Kong and our best friend is from Shanghai. I made this recipe tonight and both were AMAZED – said it tasted like their mum’s cooking. 5/5.
Hi Ness! Wow, that’s the ultimate compliment to be compared to mom’s cooking – thank you! SO glad all of you enjoyed it 🙂