Make this easy, melt-in-your-mouth Chashu pork belly recipe at home! Braised in a sweet and savory sauce, you can now add the tender slice of meat as topping to your next bowl of ramen. It’s the most fulfilling reward for any pork belly lovers out there!
What is your favorite ramen topping? For me, it is the perfectly cooked soft-boiled marinated Ramen Egg (Ajitsuke Tamago). But for most people I know, including Mr. JOC, it is the melt-in-your-mouth juicy, tender, and flavorful slices of braised pork belly known as Chashu (チャーシュー).
What is Chashu?
Japanese have adapted the famous Chinese barbecued pork called Char Siu (叉燒) as chāshū (チャーシュー). Unlike the Chinese version which requires roasting over high heat, we prepare the meat by rolling it into a log and then braising it over low heat in a sauce seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and sugar.
In Japanese, Chashu is sometimes called “Nibuta” (煮豚), literally means simmered/braised pork, as opposed to “Yakibuta” (焼豚), which means barbecued pork. The Japanese enjoy Chashu as a topping for Ramen and other noodles, as well as Chashu over steamed rice in called Chashu Don, like a rice bowl.
The Original Chinese Char Siu
Traditionally, Chinese char siu is marinated in soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice wine, five spice powder, and red food coloring, and then roasted in a covered oven or barbecued over a fire. You have probably seen the slabs of barbecued pork hanging in Chinese deli shop windows.
Chinese Char Siu offers a good bite with marked, smoky grilled flavor, while Japanese chashu is appreciated for its succulent and fork-tender texture.
Watch How to Make Chashu
Make this easy, melt-in-your-mouth Chashu pork belly recipe at home! Braised in a sweet and savory sauce, you can now add the tender slice of meat as topping to your next bowl of ramen. It’s the most fulfilling reward for any pork belly lovers out there!
A Quick Rundown on How to Make Chashu Pork
First, we sear the pork belly over high heat to caramelize the surface of the meat. My go-to choice is a solid cast iron pan which I use for searing meats. With a cast iron, you can really turn up the heat and food comes in direct contact with an evenly heated surface. This step makes a great difference with the finished dish, enhancing it with complex layers of flavors.
After searing the meat, we then braise the meat in a soy sauce based seasoning on a simmering low heat for about 1-2 hours. The pork will slowly soak up all the flavors in the pot. Ginger and long green onion (in Japan it goes by a few names – Naganegi (長ねぎ), Shironegi (白ねぎ) or Tokyo negi (東京ねぎ)) help remove any unsavory smell and add more depth to the sauce.
When the sauce is reduced, transfer the meat to a bag or a container with a little bit of sauce, and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight to intensify the flavors.
Next day it’s finally ready to serve. Slice the Chashu thinly but thick enough for the chopsticks to clasp on.
Chashu 2 Ways: Rolled (Log) vs. Non-Rolled (Block)
Chashu served on ramen is often rolled up although many ramen shops do serve slices of the Non-Rolled Chashu in Japan. Both ways are legitimate Chashu by the standard of ramen shops, but let’s take a look at the two options.
Rolled Chashu (Log)
The most common preparation for Chashu served on ramen is by rolling a big slab of pork belly into a log with butcher’s twine. The main reason for that is to keep the pork moist. As the meat is not directly exposed to the sauce, meat does not get dry yet it still absorbs flavors.
When I roll the pork belly into a log shape, I usually increase the amount of cooking time because you will need more time to rotate the Chashu and to make sure it soaks up all the good flavors.
You may wonder why I don’t increase the amount of seasoning so that Chashu will be completely submerged. Ramen shops make Chashu every day and they keep re-using the cooking sauce by combining with a new batch of seasoning. To a home cook, it is rather wasteful to make such a big batch of cooking sauce.
That’s why you will need 2 hours to cook Rolled Chashu (as opposed to 1 hour for Non-rolled Chashu).
Non-Rolled Chashu (Block)
If you don’t need a lot of Chashu, consider making Non-Rolled Chashu with smaller blocks of pork belly. The pork belly blocks I buy from the local Japanese supermarket come in small pieces (¾ to 1 lb). Since you don’t need to roll them up into a log, you can start searing the pork belly right away.
The benefit of Non-Rolled Chashu is that braising time takes just 1 hour as the slab of pork belly is fairly flat and easily absorbs flavors. Make sure to use Otoshibuta (drop lid) so that the sauce will circulate nicely and there will not be too much evaporation during braising.
Chashu (Non-Rolled Chashu) served with Shiraga Negi topping and Ramen Egg.
How to Roll and Tie Chashu
Why do we roll Chashu?
- To maintain the shape after rendering fat.
- To keep the moisture in the meat (protected by outer layer/rind).
- To look pretty
Learn how to roll and tie pork belly correctly
You can find the step-by-step pictures in the recipe below and video above to go over the step, but here’s the quick summary.
- Find out the right orientation for rolling. One or both ends should have the “bacon” like appearance, showing the varying layers of meat and fat.
- Roll up and find how much pork belly you need for a nice cooking Chashu. Cut off any extra meat and save it for other recipes.
- Once you roll up the pork belly into a log, wrap the meat with a butcher twine on one end and make a double knot.
- Wrap 2-3 more times on the same end (the starting point) to make sure it is secured.
- Then run the twine across the log to the far end and wrap 2-3 times tightly. Both ends are now secured.
- From this end, start wrapping tightly and work toward the starting point, keeping ⅓ inches (1 cm) between each wrap.
- Once you reach the starting point, run the twine under some wraps around the middle and then bring back to the starting point.
- Make a double knot with two ends of the butcher twine.
What Cut of Pork Do We Use for Chashu?
The ideal cut for chashu is pork belly, although you can use pork shoulder, and sometimes pork loin. Keep in mind that the last two choices don’t get the melt-in-your-mouth texture as they do not have as much fat as pork belly.
In Japanese cooking, we usually use pork belly without a rind/skin (except for making certain Chinese or Okinawan recipes).
I always use pork belly for my Chashu recipe, but if you try pork shoulder, let me know. I personally would not recommend using pork loin for this recipe.
Where to Buy Pork Belly
You may not find pork belly sitting at the butcher window or sold pre-packaged, but most butchers should have them stored in the freezer. So don’t be shy to ask the butcher at your local grocery stores or meat deli. Ready to make pork belly on the same day? Do call ahead and factor in the defrosting time as they usually come frozen.
The best place to shop for pork belly is Korean grocery stores. They sell different thickness and sizes of pork belly. I usually request the butcher to cut a specific size just for me.
You can also ask the butcher to remove the rind/skin (if there is any) or remove it yourself using a sharp knife.
How to Cut Chashu?
It’s pretty easy to cut the Chashu into thin slices when it has been rest in the refrigerator overnight. A sharp bread knife would make your job relatively easier too.
I don’t usually use up the entire Chashu in one meal, so I’d cut into several thin slices for Ramen, and then cut the rest into 2 to 3 blocks and pack each piece in the Food Savor bag to store in the freezer. I’ll show you below how I use Chashu besides Ramen.
How to Reheat Chashu?
There are 3 ways to reheat Chashu:
- Soak Chashu in the hot cooking sauce.
- Directly put in the hot noodle soup.
- Sear the Chashu using a culinary butane torch. We call this Aburi Chashu (炙りチャーシュー). Aburi means searing in Japanese and you may have heard about Aburi Toro and Aburi Salmon from the sushi menu.
I use searing options to reheat Chashu and to add smoky charred flavor. Don’t forget to drizzle some hot cooking liquid on top!
What Can I Use Chashu for?
Besides enjoying Chashu with ramen or by itself, you can also use it for many other dishes. Here are my suggestions:
- Noodle dishes – Hiyashi Chuka and Tsukemen
- Rice dishes – Chashu Don (over rice) and Chashu Fried Rice – a great way to use up the broken pieces or edges of Chashu.
- Sandwiches – Serve with steamed buns (use this recipe)
What Can I Use Chashu Cooking Sauce for?
- Stir fry seasoning
- Marinate for grilling meat
- Make Ramen Egg
Family’s Favorite Recipe for a Long Time!
I’ve been cooking this exact Chashu recipe for almost 20 years (and on the blog since 2011) and my family loves it. It’s not that difficult to make at all, but you may need to be around in the kitchen while simmering the meat. The final reward is phenomenal and it’s totally worth your time!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Chashu (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
Video
Ingredients
For Rolled Chashu (Log) (Serves 8-10)
- 2-2½ lb pork belly block (roughly 8" x 9", 20 cm x 23 cm; If your pork belly still has a rind and want to remove it, check this video for directions.)
- 1 negi (long green onion) (can substitute it with 1 leek or 2-3 green onions or a combination)
- 1 knob ginger
- 1 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc)
- 1 cup sake
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 2 cup water
- ⅔ cup sugar
For Non-Rolled Chashu (Block) (Serves 3; This is the original recipe posted on May 2011)
- ¾ lb pork belly block (you got 1 lb block, see Notes)
- 1 negi (long green onion) (can substitute it with 1 leek or 2-3 green onions)
- 1 knob ginger
- ½ Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc)
- ⅓ cup sake
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅔ cup water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
FOR ROLLED CHASHU (Scroll down for NON-ROLLED version)
DAY 1
- Gather all the instructions.
To Prepare the Pork Belly
- 1.Roll up the pork belly, making sure one or both ends should have the “bacon” like appearance, showing the varying layers of meat and fat. If your slab comes with the skin (rind), it should be removed. Ask your butcher and they may remove it for you.
- Run some butcher twine under the far end of the log. Tie a double knot to secure the pork tightly. Make sure you leave about 3 inches (7.5 cm) twine at the end.
- Wrap around the pork belly 2-3 times around the same area to secure the end. Then pull the twine to the other end of the pork belly. Wrap around 2-3 times at the end area to secure before working toward the middle. Each wrap should be a ⅓ inch (1 cm) in between.
- Continue wrapping around the pork belly toward the end (where you started). Make sure it’s wrapped as tightly as possible.
- Once you reach the end, run the butcher twine under some wraps to hook and go back to the starting point. Find the 3-inch (7.5 cm) twine you leave behind.
- Tie a double knot with the long twine and the 3-inch (7.5 cm) twine.
To Cut Aromatics
- Cut off the green part of the long green onion and slice the ginger.
To Sear the Pork Belly
- Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet (or regular frying pan) over high heat. Add the rolled pork belly in the pan.
- Sear the pork belly one side at a time, rotating to make sure all sides are nicely seared.
- It’ll take about 10-15 minutes all together.
To Prepare the Sauce
- While searing, put all the ingredients for seasonings in a heavy-bottom pot that fits the chashu.
To Simmer Chashu
- Transfer the seared chashu into the Dutch oven.
- Bring the liquid to a boil.
- Once boiling, skim off the foam and scum. Then turn the heat to low/simmer.
- Put an otoshibuta (drop lid) on top to press the ingredient down. You do not need to use the regular lid and limit the evaporation by just otoshibuta. If you don’t have the otoshibuta, you can make it with aluminum foil (here’s how to make Otoshibuta).
- Simmer on low heat, and cover with the otoshibuta at all times for the next 2 hours, rotating chashu every 30 minutes.
- The sauce has been reduced. After 2 hours, turn off the heat to let cool a little bit.
To Rest Chashu Overnight
- Once the meat is slightly cooled, transfer to a container or plastic food saver bag. Strain the leftover cooking liquid over a fine-mesh strainer. The liquid is roughly 2 ½ cup.
- Add ½ cup of the cooking liquid into the bag.
- Seal the bag with food saver. TIP: Fold a piece of paper towel to plug the entry of the Food Saver bag. This paper towel will absorb all the moisture when you seal.
- I also made a quick ramen egg (ajitsuke tamago) with the leftover liquid. You make soft boiled eggs and add ½ cup of cooking liquid in the bag. Cover the cooking liquid and store chashu, ramen egg, and the cooking liquid in the refrigerator.
DAY 2
- Open the bag of chashu.
- Cut the twine with kitchen shears and remove them completely.
- Slice the chashu into ¼ inch pieces (Keep the edge for chashu fried rice!).
- Place the chashu slices on a ceramic plate and use a propane torch or broiler to sear the chashu slices to enhance the flavor. Then enjoy them immediately or serve on your ramen.
- Scoop up the solidified fat from the cooking sauce.
- Prepare a mason jar or container and strain the sauce over a fine-mesh sieve to make sure the solidified fat is left behind. The sauce will last for a month in the refrigerator. I use it for drizzling over the chashu and making stir-fries, marinade, and ramen eggs.
To Store
- You can store the chashu in the refrigerator up to 7 days and 1 month in the freezer. I usually divide the rolled chashu into thirds and freeze 2 portions separately (for Ramen right away, and chashu fried rice and chashu Don for later). Ramen eggs should be consumed in 3-4 days if they are soft-boiled eggs and 7 days if hard-boiled eggs. The eggs get salty as you keep in the marinade, so remove from the sauce when they have the right taste.
FOR NON-ROLLED CHASHU
- Gather all the ingredients. For small blocks of pork belly, you don't need to roll them up before cooking and simmering time is just 1 hour (instead of 2 hours).
- Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet (or regular frying pan) over high heat. Sear the fat side down first, then flip over to sear all sides, which will take about 10 minutes.
- While searing, put all the ingredients for seasonings in a heavy-bottom pot (or regular pot) that fits the chashu. Add the chashu and bring it to a boil, skimming the scum and foam. Then turn the heat to low/simmer.
- Put an otoshibuta (drop lid) on top to press the ingredient down and limit the evaporation. If you don’t have an otoshibuta, you can make it with aluminum foil. (here’s how to make otoshibuta). Simmer on low heat for the next one hour, rotating chashu every 15 minutes (keep otoshibuta on all times!).
- After one hour, there is ½ inch liquid left in the pot. Now you have 2 options. Option 1: If you're serving right away, remove the otoshibuta and further cook down the sauce on low heat until the sauce gets thicken and see the bottom of the pot when you draw a line with a spatula. Option 2 (recommended): Transfer the chashu to a container or a bag with a little bit of cooking sauce and refrigerate overnight. Strain the leftover cooking sauce and refrigerate.
- To serve, slice the chashu into ¼ inch pieces. You can use a propane torch or broiler to sear the chashu slices to enhance the flavor. If you kept the chashu overnight and don't want to sear the chashu, you can reheat it by soaking in the hot cooking sauce.
Notes
- 1 lb pork belly block (454 g)
- 1 Negi/Long Green Onion (Sub: 1 leek or 2-3 green onions)
- 1 knob ginger
- ½ Tbsp neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
- ½ cup sake (120 ml)
- ½ cup soy sauce (120 ml)
- 1 cup water (240 ml)
- ⅓ cup sugar (75 g, 5 Tbsp)
Editor’s Notes: This post was originally shared in May 2011. The first video was added in September 2014 with new images. New video and images are added in May 2019.
