It would seem that pork belly and Coke have been everywhere in the past couple of years! Today we are bringing the two culinary behemoths into one dish with our Coca-Cola glazed pork belly. Altough, as you’ll see, this is a dish with a lot of history! Read below to find out more.
Coca-Cola Glazed Pork Belly: A Recipe for Good Eating
It may seem totally gimmicky and trying to be en vogue, but really Coca-Cola glazed pork belly has been a staple in South East Asian cooking for a moment. Near the end of the 20th Century, as the Western drink began making in-roads in the country, many home chefs began integrating the drink wherever they could. One such instance was in integrating into braised and glazed dishes that typically called for sugar. Thus, Coca-Cola glazed meats have not only became popular in the last century, they have carried into the 21st century as comfort food luxe. The Chinese dish hong shao rou, or Coca-Cola glazed pork belly, is the perfect example of why a soda glaze works so well.
There is a sort of brilliance to this glazing technique, the acidity of the soda is sure to tenderize the meat and give it that highly sought-after melt-in-your mouth flavor. While you don’t have to worry about having cola flavored meet, there is a subtle sweetness to the dishes it graces and glazes. Think for example, Sweet Baby Ray’s which carried a cola barbecue sauce a few years back. Plus, when left to simmer, the water in the soda will evaporate to form a rich molasses-like syrup. This creates a perfect balance between stickiness and tenderness, that will leave you coming back for more!
But, of course, the soda isn’t enough to be majorly flavorful. That’s while you’ll want to add such greats as tomato puree, mustard, light and dark soy sauce, and honey to add depth to your marinade. Once ready, you will have a one-of-a-kind dish will be ready. Serve it with rice to balance you palate, or grilled vegetables for a little bit of grounding. A fresh glass of Coke would, of course, make for a wonderful refresh!
For more dinner ideas, check out other such dishes as our Buffalo chicken, oven-baked teriyaki chicken, and tantalizing lemon topped pizza.
Coca-Cola Glazed Pork Belly
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 lb pork belly slices
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 small piece fresh ginger roughly chopped
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 spring onions roughly chopped
- salt to taste
For the Coca-Cola glaze:
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 5½ fl oz cola of choice
- chili oil to taste
For topping:
- fresh coriander chopped
- sliced red chillies
Instructions
- To sear the pork belly: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly slices and sear for about 4-5 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add garlic, ginger, spring onions, star anise, and bay leaves. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato purée, mustard, light and dark soy sauces, and honey. Cook for a minute.
- Now deglaze the pan by pouring in the cola and bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the pork belly to the pan. Cover loosely and simmer on low for 30–35 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork is tender and the sauce is glossy and thickened.
- Stir in the chili oil, depending on your heat preference. Simmer for another 2 minutes to incorporate.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and sliced red chilies. Serve over steamed rice or with grilled vegetables. Enjoy!