Best Okinawa Braised Pork Belly Rafute Recipes

OKINAWAN SHOYU PORK

Steps:

• In a pot, over medium-high heat, brown the pork belly on all sides. This should take about 5-minutes.
• Add the garlic and ginger to the pot. Mix and saute for another minute till the garlic and ginger is fragrant. Then add the water, soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, and mirin.
• Bring everything to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1.5 hours (give it a stir every 20 minutes). The pork is ready when it is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
• Remove the lid, and turn the heat to medium-high. Let the sauce bubble away and reduce until it becomes thick and glaze-y. Pour it out into a bowl, and serve hot, with rice. Enjoy ^_^

RAFUTE (OKINAWAN GLAZED PORK)

Steps:

• Place pork, skin side up, on the rack of a broiler pan, and broil until skin is browned.
• Rinse pork under warm running water, scraping off any charred areas with a knife.
• Place the whole piece of pork in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook 40 minutes.
• Remove pork and reserve broth.
• Allow the pork to cool, then slice into ½" thick, 2" x 2" squares.
• Combine other ingredients, except mirin, in a thick, wide, shallow pot, and bring to the boil.
• Lay the pork pieces in this sauce and cook, covered, for about 1½ hours over low heat.
• If during this time the pan seems dry, add a little of the reserved pork stock.
• As pork tenderizes, add mirin and cook a further half-hour uncovered, until pork is melt-in-the-mouth tender and evenly glazed with sauce.
• When warming leftovers, do not add water or soup stock- instead, use sake (or bourbon/whisky), which is said to keep pork tender and juicy.

OKINAWA SHOYU PORK

Steps:

• 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.