Discover 7 delicious dishes using pork belly that are both EASY TO MAKE and incredibly SATISFYING.

Pork belly is a succulent cut of meat, rich in both fat and lean meat. Despite its fatty nature, many people love it for its tenderness and juiciness, thanks to the marbling. Pork belly can be transformed into a variety of mouthwatering dishes such as steamed, boiled, braised, fried, roasted, grilled, and more. How many mouthwatering dishes do you know that can be made from pork belly every day? Let Team PasGo guide you with our suggestions below!

In the article below, PasGo introduces you to 7 delicious dishes made from pork belly that are both enticing and perfect for changing up your family meal routine, and the recipes are not too complicated either!

1. Crispy Pork Belly Stir-Fry

1.1. Ingredients for making Crispy Pork Belly Stir-Fry

• Pork belly: 400g
• 2 dried shallots
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 3 teaspoons of fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1.2. Steps to make Crispy Pork Belly Stir-Fry

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

Finely chop the dried shallots and garlic.

Clean the meat thoroughly and slice it into thin pieces.

Mix the prepared seasoning mixture together in a bowl.

Step 2: Cooking Process

Apply a thin layer of oil to the pan, spread the meat evenly on top, then cook on medium heat until the meat firms up and the liquid evaporates.

When flipping, remember to turn the meat to cook evenly, avoiding overcooking to prevent dryness.

Once the edges of the meat are charred, add finely chopped onions and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Pour in the pre-mixed fish sauce mixture, reduce the heat, stir constantly until thickened, then turn off the heat.

2. Crispy roasted pork belly

2.1. Ingredients for making crispy roasted pork belly 

• Pork belly: 300g (choose pork belly with skin on, the meat should be tender and not too fatty) 
• Five-spice powder: 1 packet
• Finely chopped garlic: 5 cloves
• White wine: 10ml
• Vinegar: 10ml
• Sugar
• Salt
• Black peppercorns

2.2. How to make crispy roasted pork belly 

Step 1: Prepare the meat 

Clean the pork belly with coarse salt, lime, and vinegar to remove any dirt on the surface of the meat. 

Boil the meat over low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and remove the meat. Next, place the meat in cold water and soak for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Use a sharp knife or skewer to puncture the skin to create multiple holes, allowing the skin to become crispy when roasted. Then use a clean cloth to pat dry the punctured skin.

Step 2: Marinate the meat 

Rub a thin layer of salt (about 1 teaspoon) onto the skin. Then marinate the meat separately with a spice mixture consisting of: finely ground garlic, five-spice powder, a dash of cooking oil, a tablespoon of fish sauce for about 10 minutes. Note that before marinating the meat, you need to scrape off any pieces of garlic stuck on the surface of the meat to avoid burning the garlic.

Step 3: Roast the meat

Heat a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and heat it until hot, then start roasting the meat. Note that you will roast the skin side first and you should pour enough cooking oil to cover the skin. 

Cover the top of the meat with a layer of aluminum foil, then place a clean heavy pan on top of the foil to press the fatty part down slightly and keep the meat in place. Roast the meat over medium heat until the skin starts to blister, then increase the heat, continue roasting until the skin turns completely golden brown (about 30 minutes), then remove the pan and the foil on top, continue frying the remaining sides for a few more minutes until fully cooked, then turn off the heat.

3. Pan-fried pork belly with fish sauce 

3.1. Ingredients for making pan-fried pork belly with fish sauce 

• Pork belly: 600g
• Sugar: 2 tablespoons
• Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
• Salt: 1 tablespoon
• Shallots: 5 bulbs
• Ginger: 10g
• Chili: 1
• Cornstarch: 3 tablespoons
• Rice flour: 3 tablespoons

3.2. How to make pan-fried pork belly with fish sauce 

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients 

Massage the meat evenly with 1 tablespoon of salt for about 5 minutes. Then rinse with clean water and drain.

Peel and wash the ginger, then slice it.

Peel and wash the shallots, slice 2 bulbs, and finely chop the rest.

Peel and wash the garlic, then finely chop it.

Wash the chili peppers, then finely chop them.

Step 2: Boil the meat

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 5g of sliced ginger, 2 bulbs of sliced shallots, 1 teaspoon of salt, then boil the meat for 5 minutes.

Remove the meat, use a knife to make multiple cuts on the skin, then drain. This method helps the skin become crispier and puffier when fried.

Step 3: Marinate the meat

Marinate the boiled meat for 20 minutes with a spice mixture consisting of: 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced shallots, garlic, and chili.

Step 4: Coat the meat with flour

Evenly mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of rice flour. Coat the marinated meat with the flour mixture.

Remember to remove the garlic, chili, and shallots sticking to the meat before coating with flour, as they can easily burn when frying.

Step 5: Fry the meat

Heat a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and wait for the oil to heat up. Then, one by one, place the flour-coated meat in the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.

To prevent oil splatter while frying, when the oil is hot, add a little salt to the pan before frying the meat. This not only reduces oil splatter but also helps the pork skin become crispier and tastier.

Step 6: Make the fish sauce dipping sauce 

Heat a new pan on the stove with a little oil, add the remaining garlic, chili, and shallots and sauté until fragrant.

Next, add 1.5 tablespoons of sugar and 1.5 tablespoons of fish sauce to the pan and stir well. Then, add the fried meat to the pan and stir-fry over heat for 5 minutes to evenly coat the meat with the sauce.

4. Stir-fried pork belly with chili

4.1. Ingredients for making stir-fried pork belly with lemongrass and chili 

• Pork belly: 500g
•  Lemongrass: 7 stalks
•  Chili peppers: 3
•  Shallots: 3 bulbs
•  Garlic: 4 cloves
•  Cooking oil: 2 tablespoons
•  Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
•  Common spices: salt, sugar, MSG, seasoning powder, ground pepper

4.2. How to make stir-fried pork belly with lemongrass and chili

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

After buying pork belly, wash it thoroughly. Then use salt to rub on the meat to remove any odor, then rinse again with water and drain.

After buying lemongrass, wash it clean. For the root part, you smash and finely chop it, for the top part, you slice it into strips.

Peel and finely chop shallots and garlic. Wash chili peppers, then cut them into small pieces.

Step 2: Marinate the meat

Marinate the meat with half the amount of chopped shallots, lemongrass. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Step 3: Fry the lemongrass

Heat a pan on the stove and bring 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a boil. Then, add the sliced lemongrass to the pan and fry for about 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant and golden, then remove it to a plate.

Mix well and marinate for about 15 minutes to let the meat absorb the seasoning.

Step 4: Stir-fry the meat with lemongrass and chili

Add the shallots and garlic to the pan where the lemongrass is frying and sauté until fragrant. Then, add the marinated meat and stir-fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat firms up.

Next, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir-fry until the meat turns golden. Then, add the lemongrass and chili and stir-fry together for another minute. Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and stir well, adjust the seasoning to taste, and turn off the heat.

5. Steamed pork belly rolls

5.1. Ingredients for making steamed pork belly rolls

• Pork belly 300g
• Salt 10g
• Pepper 5g
• Peanut oil 30ml
• Sesame oil 20ml
• White wine 10ml
• White sugar 10g

5.2. How to make steamed pork belly rolls

First, trim off some of the fat from the pork belly to make it thinner, wash it with water, and drain it.

Next, marinate the pork belly with 30ml peanut oil, 20ml sesame oil, 10g salt, 10g white sugar, 10ml white wine, 5g pepper for about 30 minutes to absorb the seasoning.

Roll the marinated pork belly into a round shape and use kitchen twine to secure it tightly to prevent it from unraveling.

Place the pork in a steamer and steam for about 40 minutes until fully cooked.

Remove the pork belly from the steamer and slice it into thin, bite-sized pieces.

The meat absorbs the spices evenly, resulting in a delicious, flavorful, and rich taste. It can be enjoyed with steamed rice or sticky rice for a satisfying meal.

6. Braised Pork Belly with White Radish

6.1. Ingredients for Braised Pork Belly with White Radish

• 300g white radish (choose ones that are not too old)
• 500g pork belly
• Seasonings: pepper, sugar, seasoning powder, fish sauce, dried shallots, cooking oil

6.2. How to Make Braised Pork Belly with White Radish

Clean the pork belly, drain, then marinate with fish sauce, seasoning powder, dried shallots, sugar, and pepper for about 10 minutes.

Peel and wash the white radish, cut into small chunks, and toss with a pinch of salt.

Heat the stove, add cooking oil and sugar to the pot, stir until the sugar turns golden brown, then stop.

Saute the dried shallots until fragrant, then add the marinated meat to the pot and stir-fry together.

When the meat is slightly cooked, add the white radish to the pot. If the water dries up, add more to cover the meat and radish pieces.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat and radish are tender. The ideal braising time is from 20 to 30 minutes. Towards the end of cooking, you can add some chili for extra flavor, or add it at the beginning if preferred.

7. Grilled BBQ Pork Belly

7.1. Ingredients for Grilled BBQ Pork Belly

• Pork belly: 500 grams
• Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
• Shallots, garlic
• Seasonings: Oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, ground pepper, white sugar, cooking oil, chili sauce

Step 2: Execution of BBQ Pork Belly

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Wash the pork belly thoroughly with water, soak it in diluted salt water, then rinse it again with water and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Peel the shallots and garlic, crush them, and then finely chop them.

Step 2: Marinate the Meat Before Grilling

Mix 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce, along with 2 teaspoons of chili sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a bowl until well combined.

Then, add chopped garlic, finely chopped shallots, and put the meat in a bowl to mix all the ingredients. Use food wrap to cover it and place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to marinate the meat thoroughly.

Step 3: Grill the Meat

After marinating the meat, skewer it and grill it over charcoal (or bake in the oven at about 150 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes). Rotate the meat evenly to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.

Here are 7 delicious dishes made from pork belly that are easy to make and perfect for sharing. PasGo hopes to inspire you with these ideas. Wishing you success and enjoyable meals with your loved ones.