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READY IN ABOUT 1¾ hrs

Okinawa Shoyu Pork

Read Reviews (14)

"I think the Okinawans got the slow food concept right on - this was one of my favorite dishes growing up...shoyu pork...eaten over rice, or on top of soba. The soy sauce-marinated, slow-cooked pork with just the right amount of sweet taste (imagine Okinawan brown sugar) is pretty close to perfect..." — Diana71

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 6 servings Change Servings

1 1/2 pounds whole pork belly
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water

1/2 cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 clove garlic, or to taste

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Directions

Place pork belly into a large pot, and cover with water about 1-inch above the pork. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard water and fill pot with fresh water about 1-inch above the pork. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the pork begins to soften, about 1 hour.
Remove the pork from the water, and place on a cutting board. Allow pork to cool for a few minutes, then slice off the thick skin and discard. Cut the remaining pork meat into 1-inch wide slices. Set aside.
Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, mirin, ginger, and garlic in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the sliced pork belly, then bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and place a sheet of aluminum foil directly over the meat and sauce. Simmer uncovered until the pork is tender, 30 to 45 minutes, turning the pork several times to cook evenly.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 1 hr 30 mins
READY IN 1 hr 40 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Notes
It's best to use pork belly, but pork tenderloin or boneless pork short ribs are also great.
You can substitute 1/2 cup water for katsuo dashi. Katsuo dashi is a fish stock made from water and bonito flakes. In a small pot, boil 1-2 c of water and about 1/2 c bonito flakes for a few minutes. Pour into a bowl, straining the bonito flakes out of the liquid so you have only stock.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 25, 2011

This was really good! My local Meijer did not have pork belly so I used a pork loin, but I followed the recipe and cooking directions exactly. Also could not find the Bonito flakes, so I used Oyster Sauce that I found in the asain section. (I read online that was a good substitute) The sauce was delicious!! Make sure to cut the meat into small pcs so that it can soak up as much sauce as possible. Served w/white rice and steamed broccoli, sugar snaps and baby carrots. MMMMmmmmm!

—MadeInMississippi

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Most Helpful Critical Review

May 08, 2011

I have a hatred for meat that is sweet tasting. I took one bite and gave it to my husband. He liked liked it, but didn't think it was anything special.

—cmgrove86

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16 Ratings

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Aug 28, 2011

I live in Okinawa and this is spot on!! Not only does it taste great but I was really surprised at how easy it was! We sliced it thin and topped some soba soup with it .. excellent!!

—Amanda Ramirez

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Jun 03, 2011

very authentic japanese recipe. We used Kurobuta Pork belly the flavor is so intense and great..Leftover sauce is good for Yakisoba or any type of Asian stir fry... or just mix it with plain steamed rice....

—Sandy

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Jun 28, 2012

I stuck extremely close to the recipe at hand and served this over White Rice, Noodles, Broccoli and Boneless Side Pork Meat. It was delicious. I saved the remaining sauce after our meal, chilled it overnight and then marinated Pork Tenderloin in it for a day. I served it thickened over the oven-cooked Tenderloin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a Garlic Veggie Medley I made and again, delicious!!! My husband made me go back and find the recipe so we could make sure to use it many times more.

—blueyedtigeress

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Nov 07, 2011

This recipe which I made exactly the way it is listed here is very good! It didn't get 5 stars because it is really, really sweet! My husband didn't love it, but myself and the teenage boys did. It's very simple and so tasty! I served it with brown rice and broccoli, and every last bit was eaten up. I would highly recommend LOTS of water before & after this dish as it made all of us very thirsty. Thanks so much!

—sunshineinsa

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May 19, 2011

yum! my family inhaled this! it was a tad sweet for my taste, but nobody else seemed to mind.

—mrsyaki

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Mar 22, 2012

Wonderful recipe. I tried it after seeing it prepared in my Roku channels. I used pork loin as I didn't have any pork belly but it was a big hit!

—Liz B.

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Nutrition

Calories
331 kcal
17%

Carbohydrates
27 g
9%

Cholesterol
41 mg
14%

Fat
15.6 g
24%

Fiber
0.3 g
1%

Protein
15.4 g
31%

Sodium
2071 mg
83%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Okinawa Shoyu Pork

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 331
Calories from Fat: 141

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15.6g 24 %
Saturated Fat 5.1g 26 %
** Cholesterol 41mg 14 %
** Sodium 2071mg 83 %
** Potassium 292mg 8 %
Total Carbohydrates 27g 9 %
Dietary Fiber 0.3g 1 %
Protein 15.4g 31 %
Sugars 24.4g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 3 %
Iron 12 %
** Thiamin 27 %
** Niacin 53 %
** Vitamin B6 11 %
** Magnesium 9 %
** Folate 2 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.