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Sliced Japanese chashu pork belly on a cutting board, showing the glossy braised exterior and tender interior

Chashu (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)

Melting Japanese chashu pork made easy in an electric pressure cooker — a block of pork belly seared and braised in soy sauce, sake, sugar, ginger, and leek until glossy and tender. Slice it for ramen, a rice bowl, or eat it as is.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g pork belly (or shoulder) block belly for richer chashu; shoulder for leaner
  • 6 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 5 1/2 tbsp sake cooking sake is fine
  • 5 tbsp sugar
  • 50 ml water
  • 1 stalk leek or green onion (green part) cut into 5 cm lengths
  • 1 knob ginger thinly sliced

Method
 

  1. Optionally tie the pork with kitchen twine. Sear the block on all sides in a hot pan until browned.
  2. Put the pork in the pressure cooker inner pot and add the soy sauce, sake, sugar, water, leek greens, and sliced ginger. Cover with a foil drop-lid with a 1 cm hole poked in the center.
  3. Seal the lid and pressure cook for about 20 minutes (roughly 1 hour total including coming up to and releasing pressure).
  4. When the pressure has released, open the lid and flip the pork so both sides soak in the liquid. Let it cool in the braising liquid (ideally until fully chilled).
  5. Slice to your preferred thickness and serve over ramen or rice, warming the slices in a little braising liquid if you like.