Dad's Roast Pork Belly in an Instant Pot with Grandma's Cucumbers and Rice

I'm making my dad's recipe in an Instant Pot so it doesn't take as long and is a perfect budget friendly dish for the family. The cucumber can be served with anything and, well, you know, white rice! I finally got the recipe from dad a year ago. I got my Instant Pot a couple years ago. I cook in it at least once or twice a week. All the rice bowls and pork belly. You can find the cucumbers and how to make rice videos on Tips + Tricks.

• 6 qt Instant Pot

• 2 cutting boards

• Knife

• Plates for mise en place

• Strainer

• Fat separator

• 2 large steel mixing bowls

• Small mixing bowl for slurry (optional)

• Tongs

• Rice Cooker

• Cooking chopsticks

Grandma’s Cucumbers:

• 5 mini cucumbers (or 1-2 regular cucumbers )

• 3 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Rice:

• Medium or short grain rice ((About ½ cup to 1 cup per person. Better to have more than enough than not enough.))

• Water

Pork Belly:

• 3 star anise

• 5 whole cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Pinch black peppercorns

• 1 sprig of thyme

• 1 sprig of rosemary

• 2 oz rock sugar (a nice small chunk (You can find this in the seasoning area. It’s not in the candy aisle at the Asian market.))

• 1 qt chicken stock ((enough to cover the pork belly in the Instant Pot))

• ½ onion (chopped)

• 1 garlic clove (chopped)

• 2 tbsp Mirin

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 lbs pork bellycut up into 2” cubes ((You can find this easily at an Asian supermarket. You can also ask your local butcher for a cut.))

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt ((If you use any other brand or kind of salt, do not use as generously as I do. This salt is magic.))

Rice

1. Wash the rice 2-3 times. Fill up the water to the line that matches the number of cups you are cooking.

Cucumbers:

1. Slice up the cucumbers. Generously sprinkle salt over the cucumbers. Mix and let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hr. Mix in sugar and rice vinegar. Done!

Roast Pork Belly:

1. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté for 30-40 minutes. Season the pork belly generously with salt and pepper. When the Instant Pot reads Hot, add olive oil and sear the pork belly on all sides. You may need to do this in two batches. Set aside and put on a plate.

2. Add onions to the Instant Pot and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, herbs, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the pork belly back to the pot. Add rock sugar, Mirin and enough chicken stock to cover the pork belly. Be sure to not go over the max lines of your Instant Pot.

3. Once the sugar is mostly broke down. Turn off the sauté function and cover your Instant Pot. Set to pressure cook high for 20 minutes. Once complete, let it sit for an additional 10 more minutes before releasing the steam valve. If you want the meat to be a bit more tender, you can add more time.

4. Remove the pork and set aside in a large serving bowl. Set the pot on sauté for 20 minutes. Reduce the stock until the desired flavor is reached. Strain the sauce and skim the excess oil off the top or use a fat strainer. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want to have a thicker sauce, mix 2 tbsps of cold water with 1 tsp of cornstarch and mix in after reducing. Cook for a couple more minutes and then pour over pork and serve with rice and cucumbers.

Add kimchee for an extra kick to your rice bowl. Save the extra rice for breakfast rice and eggs or congee.