Moo Hong (Braised Pork Belly)
Moo Hong is a southern Thai dish featuring tender pork belly slow-braised in a rich, luscious sauce made from soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and palm sugar. It's a hidden gem of Thai cuisine, easy to make at home, and mostly hands-off.
Nutrition· per serving · estimated
Ingredients10 items
Instructions
- 1
Cut the pork belly into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks. These pieces will shrink significantly during cooking, so start with larger chunks than you might expect.
- 2
Place the pork belly chunks in a dish and marinate them with soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Toss to coat all pieces. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, flipping halfway if possible. Ensure the meat side is facing down to absorb more flavor.
30:00 timer - 3
Prepare the herb paste: Grind the black peppercorns finely using a mortar and pestle. Then add the garlic cloves and cilantro stems (cut into short pieces to avoid long strings) and pound everything into a coarse paste. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.
- 4
Heat cooking oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the prepared herb paste and sauté until it starts to turn slightly golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
3:00 timer - 5
Deglaze the pot by pouring in the unsalted chicken or pork stock. Scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the palm sugar and stir until dissolved.
- 6
Add the marinated pork belly chunks and any remaining marinade to the pot. Arrange the pork so the skin side is submerged in the liquid. If the liquid level is too low, add a touch of water, but not too much, as this is not a soup.
- 7
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Loosely cover the pot and let it simmer for 1 hour.
60:00 timer - 8
After 1 hour, flip the pork belly pieces to ensure even cooking and flavor absorption. Continue to braise with the lid open for another 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring and basting occasionally, until the liquid reduces to a thick, rich sauce.
90:00 timer - 9
Check the pork for tenderness by poking the thickest piece with a fork. It should go in with no resistance. If not tender enough, continue braising until it reaches the desired tenderness.
- 10
Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce. You can tilt the pot and use a thin ladle to easily remove the fat. If not serving immediately, you can refrigerate the dish, and the fat will solidify, making it easier to remove.
- 11
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. It should be salty first, then sweet, with a strong peppery flavor. If it's too salty, add a splash of water. If it's too weak, continue to reduce the sauce further.
- 12
Serve the Moo Hong hot with plenty of jasmine rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.