Orange Glazed Pork Belly
This Orange Glazed Pork Belly was the lucky centerpiece of my Lunar New Year Dinner this year! But, it’s also a great option for a comforting family-style dinner. This recipe combines that classic braised pork belly that we all know and love with the gentle juicy flavors of sweet and sour pork. Made with a savory, but tart orange soy glaze, this dish is guaranteed to destroy bowls of rice!
Sweet and Sour Orange Glazed Pork Belly 柳橙汁滷肉
This Orange Glazed Pork Belly 柳橙汁滷肉 is packed with lucky symbolisms for my Lunar New Year Feast this year. Red braised pork belly is a common New Years dinner dish. The fatty layers represent layers and layers of abundance and luxury. Oranges on the other hand, is a Chinese synonym for luck, so we associate it with lucky phrases like 大吉大利 and 吉祥如意. So, why not combine the two?
Besides being a super lucky dish for the holidays, this dish is a familiar family-style dinner dish you can make anytime. Just prep the ingredients and leave it to simmer! For Taiwanese families, this is a refreshing twist on a familiar comfort food!
Orange Pork Belly Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly slabs leave as a slab, or cut into cubes
- 2-3 stalks green onion Optional, for blanching
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn Optional, for blanching
Orange Soy Glaze
- 6-8 stalks green onion cut into 2-3 in lengths
- 2-3 slices ginger
- 15 clove garlic peeled
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1-1.5 cup water enough to cover pork in pan
Preparing Pork Belly Before Cooking
Before cooking with pork belly, I like to blanch it with some spices, like green onions and Sichuan peppercorn. It’s optional, but this extra step gives your braise a much cleaner taste. It washes off all the surface scum leftover from the butchering process. The aromatics also help get rid of some of that gamey flavors that pork can sometimes have. The blanching step also helps set the shape. After braising, the pork belly slab will be much easier to cut.
Orange Soy Glaze
This Orange Soy Glaze is what makes it so easy to eat with tons of rice. Usually, we braise pork belly in a spiced soy-based braise. But, adding orange juice to the braising liquid really takes it to the next level. This glazed is made with orange juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, scallion, ginger, and garlic. Compared to adding vinegars or condiments like ketchup, the juice’s natural tang gives it an elegant but gentle flavor boost! It cuts through the pork fat, and brings out the savory flavors.
How To Make Sweet and Sour Orange Pork Belly
- Optional: In a pot full of water, add the pork belly slabs and turn the heat to medium-high. Add in Sichuan peppercorn and 2-3 stalks of green onion. Let it cook for 10 minutes and rinse with cold water. Drain the pork belly and set it aside.
- Pan fry pork belly for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, line the bottom of the pan with lots of green onion, ginger, and garlic. Put the pork belly back on top.
- Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, orange juice, sugar, and water.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Extra Special Dishes To Make For Any Holiday!
Orange Glazed Pork Belly
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly slabs leave as a slab, or cut into cubes
- 2-3 stalks green onion Optional, for blanching
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn Optional, for blanching
Orange Soy Glaze
- 6-8 stalks green onion cut into 2-3 in lengths
- 2-3 slices ginger
- 15 clove garlic peeled
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1-1.5 cup water enough to cover pork in pan
Instructions
- Optional: In a pot full of water, add the pork belly slabs and turn the heat to medium-high. Add in Sichuan peppercorn and 2-3 stalks of green onion. Let it cook for 10 minutes and rinse with cold water. Drain the pork belly and set it aside.
- In a pan, pan fry pork belly for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, line the bottom of the pan with lots of green onion, ginger, and garlic. Put the pork belly back on top.
- Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, orange juice, sugar, and water.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
