This recipe makes perfect Chinese pork belly with a delicious sticky 5 spice sauce.
This recipe for Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is super simple to make and all cooked in one dish. The pork turns out so tender with a lovely sticky sauce flavoured with star anise and five spice powder.
This recipe has been one of the most popular on my website, it seems like everyone is looking for ways to cook pork belly at home. Most of the ingredients will be in your pantry, you may have to add Chinese Five spice powder to your next grocery shop.
HOW TO MAKE STICKY PORK BELLY:
Make sure you preheat your oven to 170°C fan bake. With a very sharp knife slice pork into bite sized pieces. Place pork into an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with the flour to coat the meat.
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a jug and whisk it all together then pour it over the pork. Use tongs to coat all of the pork with the sauce then pour in the stock. Scatter over the star anise and cinnamon sticks if using (Just leave these out if you do not have them on hand).
Cover with the lid or if your dish doesn't have one you can use tin foil instead. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes then remove the dish from the oven and stir. Add 1 cup of boiling water and place the dish back in the oven uncovered. Turn the oven up to 200°C and bake for 30 minutes until the pork is looking and smelling amazing.
If your sauce is too thick, add more water, or if it seems too thin, cook for a bit longer. Remove the star anise and cinnamon sticks before serving. Scatter over spring onion and sesame seeds then serve with rice and steamed bok choy or other asian style green vegetables.
If you want a different serving option, this braised pork tastes great in steamed bao buns. Serve hot bao buns with fresh sliced carrot, cabbage, spring onion and coriander. Finish it off with hoisin sauce and Japanese mayo.
Sticky pork bao buns with hoisin sauce and Japanese mayo
This recipe would also work well with pork loin if you want less fat and chicken thighs would taste amazing in this sauce too, just adjust baking time until the chicken is cooked through.
To make this in a slow cooker: Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 7-8, leave out the extra cup of boiling water. You may have to transfer the pork to an ovenproof dish and put it under the grill for 10 minutes to crisp up the pork at the end.
If you love the sound of this recipe you should check out my recipes for Sticky prawn rice bowls or Quick teriyaki chicken bowls and Sticky Asian Beef.
Or if you want more ideas with pork my Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce or Pulled pork bao buns.
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Chinese 5 spice pork belly
This recipe makes perfect pork belly in a delicious sticky sauce.
Ingredients
- 1kg pork belly strips/slices, sliced 2cm thick
- 1 Tbsp flour/gluten free flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup boiling water
Marinade
- 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Shake of chilli flakes
- 3 star anise & 2 Cinnamon sticks (optional)
To serve
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- Steamed bok choy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
- Place pork into an ovenproof baking dish, sprinkle with flour and turn to coat the meat.
- Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a jug. Pour the marinade over the pork and turn to coat. Add the stock, cover with the lid or foil then bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, stir, then add the boiling water. Turn the oven up to 200°C and bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the pork is looking and smelling amazing. If your sauce is too thick, add more water, or if it seems too thin, cook for a bit longer.
- Scatter over spring onion and sesame seeds then serve with hot rice and steamed bok choy.
Notes
- Always check the label on processed foods, including sauce bottles, to ensure they are completely gluten free.
- If using star anise and cinnamon make sure you remove then before serving, so people don't break their teeth.
- To make this in a slow cooker:Â Coat pork pieces in flour then pour over marinade and stock. Stir well then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 7-8 until the pork is nice and tender and the sauce has thickened up. You may have to transfer the pork to an ovenproof dish and put it under the grill for 10 minutes to crisp up the pork at the end.Â
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 650Total Fat: 68gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 248mgSodium: 1870mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 35gProtein: 76g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Kirsty
Hi VJ! I wanted to get your opinion of making this in the slow cooker, do you think it would work as well? Thanks!
Vanya
It works better in the oven be cause it reduces down the sauce and fat together. You could make it in the slow cooker and then put it under the grill to reduce the sauce in an ovenproof dish.
Maria
Hi, I just wanted to know if this recipe calls for rindless pork belly or not. Thanks!
VJ cooks
Hi Maria, you could use pork belly with or without the rind. It's more of a personal preference.
Sam
Hi, it says 1 Cup of beef stock in the ingredients but 1 cup of boiling water in the instructions?
VJ cooks
Hi Sam, the recipe method calls for 1 cup of beef stock as well as 1 cup of boiling water. This is an older recipe and I didn't use to list water in the ingredients but I appreciate it can be confusing so I've added it to the list now.
Jodie
Hi,
Does it make a difference not using star anais as I am not able to get any.
Cheera
Vanya
No it will be fine just leave it out 🙂
Bronwyn Jones
Hi there, do you think this would be an ok dish to make in advance and freeze please?
Thanks,
Bronwyn
VJ cooks
Hi Bronwyn,
You could try that, it would probably be fine. But this type of meal is always best when served hot on the day it is made.
Emma
Hi! Would it be ok to halve the recipe? Thanks
VJ cooks
Yes.
Jocelyn
At what point does need stock go in? Or is this the boiling water part?
VJ cooks
During step 2 at the start of the recipe. The boiling water comes later.
Louise
Can you use pork fillet for this or would it be too dry?
VJ cooks
I wouldn't recommend it sorry. The fat is full of flavour and does help to keep the meat juicy and tender.
Deb Barber
One of our absolute favourite dishes. Very yummy!!!!
Leanne
Could l substitute the apple cider vinegar with either white wine vinegar or a different vinegar
VJ cooks
Yes that should still work.
Ellie
How do you know if it needs 1.5 or 2 hours? What am I looking for please?
VJ cooks
Hi Ellie, sorry for the confusion. I've amended the recipe to 1 hour and 45 minutes. Thanks for pointing this out.
Alison
A new favourite!! It was yum. But must remember to cook a bit less. Think the pork belly was not a thickly cut as yours.
Tania
This is devine! Was a hit with the family. I thought I might try making this with beef cheeks . Will let you know the results.
VJ cooks
Oh yum, that sounds delicious, please do let me know how you go!
Cath
I've been making this perfect recipe for a couple of years now. It's a family favourite.
VJ cooks
Oh that's awesome. Thanks for the feedback, Cath.