Crispy Sous Vide Pork Belly Bites with Ginger Soy Glaze
Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, these Sous Vide Pork Belly Bites make a stunning appetizer or main over rice.
Equipment
- Sous vide circulator wand to cook the pork belly sous vide
- Large sous vide container or large pot for the sous vide water bath
- Vacuum sealer optional
- Vacuum sealable bag optional
- Large wok or large high sided frying pan or cast iron skillet to crisp the pork belly bites
- medium saucepan to make the glaze
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound pork belly slab
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper finely ground
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste or fresh ginger that has been processed in a blender
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 cup neutral oil such as grape seed, avocado, or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 Persian cucumber thinly sliced into ribbons
- Green onions for garnish
- Sesame seeds toasted for garnish
Instructions
Prepare and Sous Vide the Pork Belly
- The day before you plan to enjoy the pork belly bites, bring your sous vide water bath to 165°F. Dry the pork belly with paper towels and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Seal in a sous vide vacuum-sealed bag (or zip lock plastic bag removing as much air as possible) and place in the container or pot of water with the sous vide circulator overnight for 18 to 20 hours.1 ½ pound pork belly, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper
Make the glaze
- About 30 minutes to an hour before the pork belly is done, start making the glaze. Whisk the ginger, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and the chili garlic sauce together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 6-8 minutes. The sauce should become thicker but it won’t be extremely thick yet. Set aside.1 Tablespoon ginger paste, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ½ cup honey, 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Cut and Fry the Pork Belly bites
- In the wok/large frying pan, add the oil and heat over medium high heat. Transfer pork belly from the sous vide bath and vacuum sealed bag to a cutting board and let cool enough to handle. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the bites into a bowl and sprinkle with half of the cornstarch. Mix then add the rest until each piece is completely coated.⅓ cup cornstarch, 1 cup neutral oil
- Once the oil temperature reaches 375°F, start frying the pork belly bites in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes for each batch until they are nice and crispy on the outside. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Once all of the pork belly bites are done, clean out the wok/frying pan.
Glaze and Plate the Pork Belly
- Heat the clean wok/frying pan over high heat. Add the glaze. Once the glaze is boiling, add all of the pork belly bites and turn the heat off. Gently stir and coat the bites completely for about 20 seconds. Remove them from the wok and serve as intended with thinly sliced cucumber ribbons, toasted sesame seeds and green onions, or serve over rice.2 Persian cucumber, Green onions, Sesame seeds
Notes
Alternative Oven-Roasted Cooking Method
This can be made in the oven and it will still be delicious, but the sous vide technique for cooking pork belly will result in more tender and juicy pork belly bites.
- For the oven method, preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the pork belly fat side down in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet and place in the hot oven. After 30 minutes, turn the pork belly over and allow it to cook for another 45 minutes. Once done, you can cut it into bites and toss it in the glaze to serve.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: Sambal olek is the best substitute here, but sriracha can also be used as a substitute
- Pork Belly: This glaze can be used on pork chops, chicken, shrimp, or really anything you desire.
- The pork belly bites will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- The oven is the best way to reheat these. 325°F until they are warmed through is all you need to do. You can also add them to a skillet over low heat until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 561kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 9gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1315mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 26IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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