Chashu Pork is a tender, melt-in-your-mouth marinated and rolled pork belly braised in a deeply flavorful mixture of soy sauce, sake, and mirin. This classic topping adds rich umami and silky texture to ramen and also works beautifully in rice bowls, sandwiches, or as a make-ahead protein for weekday meals.
Chashu Pork Belly Recipe
This Chashu Pork Belly recipe gathers techniques from several classic approaches to produce a tender, flavorful piece of braised pork belly perfect for ramen. The pork is rolled, tied, and slow-braised in a balanced, slightly sweet soy-based braise until fork-tender. After cooling in the braising liquid, the meat firms up slightly, making it easy to slice thinly and reheat gently in ramen broth.
Slow braising concentrates the flavors and gives the pork a glossy, savory finish. The reserved cooking liquid can be reused to marinate soft-boiled eggs (ajitsuke tamago) or to add flavor back into your soup or rice dishes. Because the dish improves after resting, Chashu is an ideal make-ahead item for entertaining or for building a restaurant-style bowl of ramen at home.
Why You’ll Love It
- Tender Texture: Slow braising breaks down connective tissue for melt-in-your-mouth slices.
- Rich Flavor: Soy, sake, and mirin combine to create a deep umami profile with a gentle sweetness.
- Versatile: Excellent on ramen, rice bowls, or sandwiches.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Improves with overnight resting and stores well in its braising liquid.
- Reusable Marinade: The braising liquid can flavor eggs, vegetables, or sauces.
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Recipe Shopping List
Before you start, gather these ingredients. Exact quantities and the full recipe details appear further below in the recipe card section.
- Pork belly, with skin
- Soy sauce
- Sake
- Mirin
- Water
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Shallots
- Green onions
Try our Smoked Tonkotsu Ramen Broth for an extra-deep bowl of flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
Here is a clear overview of the process. Follow the detailed recipe card below while you cook for exact times and quantities.
- Prepare the pork belly: Roll the pork belly into a cylindrical shape and tie it with kitchen twine so the skin faces outward. This helps create even slices and a pleasing presentation.
- Create the braising liquid: Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, water, sugar, garlic, sliced ginger, shallots, and green onions in an oven-safe pot large enough to submerge the pork.
- Braise gently: Bring the liquid to a boil, add the pork, then cover and transfer to a low oven (about 275°F / 135°C). Cook slowly for several hours until very tender.
- Chill overnight: Remove the pork from the oven and refrigerate it submerged in the braising liquid. Resting overnight concentrates the flavor and firms the meat for neat slicing.
- Slice and serve: Slice the roll lengthwise and then into thin rounds. Reheat slices gently in ramen broth or warm them briefly in the braising liquid before serving. Reserve the cooking liquid for marinating eggs or as a flavor booster.
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Recipe FAQ
Store cooked pork belly in an airtight container, submerged in its cooking liquid, in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keeping it in the liquid helps preserve moisture and flavor.
Reheat sliced pork belly gently in ramen broth, or warm whole slices briefly in a saucepan with some reserved cooking liquid until heated through. Avoid high heat to prevent drying.
Yes. The pork benefits from cooling in its braising liquid overnight, which deepens flavor and makes slicing easier. It’s an excellent make-ahead element for an assembled ramen night.
If you prefer, use a mild chicken broth in place of some or all of the sake. Adjust sweetness by reducing the sugar or substituting honey. Keep in mind substitutions will alter the final flavor.
Building a full ramen bowl combines a rich broth, noodles, Chashu, and toppings like soft-boiled marinated eggs, scallions, and nori. Making each component—broth, noodles, and Chashu—at home lets you layer authentic flavors for a restaurant-quality bowl.
No special equipment is required beyond an oven-safe pot and kitchen twine to tie the pork. You may need to source sake and mirin if you don’t keep them on hand; many stores that sell international ingredients carry them.
Try this Pork Belly Burnt Ends recipe, too!
Recipe Tips
Chashu is forgiving but pay attention while it’s braising. Start checking for tenderness at about the two-hour mark and then every 30 minutes until the meat is tender but not falling apart. The goal is a soft, sliceable texture—not a dry, overcooked loaf.
When chilling overnight, keep the pork submerged in the braising liquid. This keeps the surface moist and helps the meat to absorb more flavor. Use a plate or folded paper towel to hold the pork down so it marinates evenly.
What else can you do with the marinade?
The braising liquid is extremely useful. Save it to marinate soft-boiled eggs for ajitsuke tamago: soft-boil eggs and cool them in ice water, peel, then submerge in the cooled braising liquid. Place a paper towel on top to ensure the eggs stay immersed and marinate for 4–5 hours for best flavor.
The same liquid can flavor vegetables, warm rice, or be reduced slightly to glaze roasted vegetables or meats. Strain and refrigerate any unused liquid; it keeps well and adds instant depth to soups and sauces.
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Chashu Pork Belly Recipe
Tender marinated pork belly prepared with a classic Chashu-style braise. Slice thin and top ramen, rice bowls, or enjoy as a flavorful protein whenever you like.
15 minutes
4 hours
4 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly, with skin
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup sake
- 1 cup mirin
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 shallots, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, whites and greens, sliced
Instructions
- Tie the pork belly into a tight roll with the skin facing outward and secure with kitchen twine.
- Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, water, sugar, garlic, ginger, shallots, and green onions in a large, oven-safe pot. The pot should be large enough to keep the pork submerged.
- Heat the liquid on the stovetop until it reaches a simmer, then bring briefly to a boil. Remove from heat, add the pork belly, cover, and transfer to a preheated oven set to 275°F (about 135°C).
- Braise for 3–4 hours, checking for fork-tender texture. Start checking around two hours and then every 30 minutes as needed.
- Once tender, let the pork cool in the braising liquid and refrigerate overnight to firm and deepen flavors.
- Remove from the liquid, cut the roll in half lengthwise if desired, then slice thinly across to produce round Chashu slices.
- Reheat slices gently in ramen broth or warm briefly in a saucepan with some reserved braising liquid before serving.
- Reserve and strain the cooking liquid for marinating eggs or as a flavor booster for soups and sauces.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 379
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 1809mg
Carbohydrates: 39g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 33g
Protein: 16g
Some photos in this post are stock photography used under license. When possible, recipes feature original photographs; this post will be updated in the future with new photos taken by the author. Thank you for your understanding and enjoy the recipe.