Honey Pork Belly

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Slice crosswise ¾ lb pork belly into pieces ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
3. Grate 2 cloves garlic (or you can use a garlic press).
4. Heat neutral oil in a large frying pan. When the pan is hot, start cooking the pork belly slices on high heat.
5. The oil might splatter, so you can use a splatter screen to avoid a mess in your kitchen.
6. Flip over the slices when they are browned on one side and continue to cook. When the other side of the pork belly is nicely browned, turn off the heat.
7. Use paper towels to wipe off the excess oil from the pan completely.
8. Turn the heat back on to medium. Then, add the seasonings: 2 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, and the crushed garlic.
9. Cook over medium heat until the meat starts to have a nice glaze. Try not to burn the sauce.

To Serve

1. Enjoy the juicy, flavorful meat with blanched spinach to balance out the palate. Our family’s favorite way to eat Honey Pork Belly is donburi style (rice bowl). Place the blanched spinach over a large bowl of hot steamed rice. Lay pieces of pork belly on top and drizzle with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and sprinkle ichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) on top. The mayonnaise goes amazingly well with the salty-sweet sauce.

To Store

1. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.