Make this easy, melt-in-your-mouth Chashu pork belly recipe at home! Braised in a sweet and savory sauce, these tender slices of meat can now top your next bowl of ramen! It’s the most fulfilling reward for any pork belly lover 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, we sometimes call Chashu “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 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 lover 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 reduces, 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 the rolled type, 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 circulates nicely and won‘t evaporate too much evaporation 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 the 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 thicknesses 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 once it has rested 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 it 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!
Various Ways to Enjoy Chashu
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 to Do with Leftover Chashu Cooking Sauce
- 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!
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Chashu (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
Video
Ingredients
For a Rolled Chashu Log (serves 8–10)
- 1 pork belly block (2–2½ lb, 907–1134 g; roughly 8 x 9 inches, 20 x 23 cm each; remove the rind from your pork belly)
- 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion) (green part only; substitute with 1 leek or 2–3 green onions)
- 4 slices ginger
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for searing)
- 1 cup sake
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 2 cups water
- ⅔ cup sugar
For a Non-Rolled Chashu Block (serves 3; this is my original recipe posted on May 2011)
- ½ Tbsp neutral oil (for searing)
- ¾ lb pork belly block (for 1 lb (454 g) of meat, see Notes)
- 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion) (green part only; substitute with 1 leek or 2–3 green onions)
- 4 slices ginger (from 1-inch, 2.5-cm knob)
- ⅓ cup sake
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅔ cup water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
FOR ROLLED CHASHU (Scroll down for the NON-ROLLED version)
- Before You Start: Please note that this rolled Chashu recipe requires an overnight resting time of 8 hours.
DAY 1
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Pork Belly
- Roll up your 1 block of pork belly (2–2½ lb or 907–1134 g). Make sure one or both ends have a “bacon-like“ appearance, showing the varying layers of meat and fat. If your slab comes with the rind, remove it or ask your butcher to do it for you.
- Run some butcher twine under the far end of the log. Tie a double knot to secure the rolled end tightly. Make sure you leave a tail of about 3 inches (7.5 cm) of twine at the end.
- Next, tightly wrap the twine around the spot you just tied another 2 or 3 times to secure the starting point of the roll. Then, pull the twine to the opposite end of the pork belly roll. Tightly wrap the twine around that end 2 to 3 times to secure it.
- Next, start wrapping the twine around the roll back toward the starting point. Space each wrap ⅓ inch (1 cm) apart. Make sure you wrap the roll as tightly as possible.
- Once you reach the starting point, run the twine under some of the end wraps; this hooks the twine in place so you can reverse direction. Next, run the twine under 4 or 5 wraps going away from the starting point. Then, double back toward the starting point, running your twine under the wraps until you reach the original double knot.
- Find the 3-inch tail of twine that you left when you started. Tie a double knot with the tail and the long end of the twine, and cut the excess.
To Cut the Aromatics
- Cut the green part of 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion) and set aside; reserve the white part for another use. Cut 4 slices ginger (unpeeled).
To Sear the Pork Belly
- Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a cast-iron skillet (or regular frying pan) over high heat. Add the tied pork belly to the skillet.
- Sear the pork belly one side at a time, rotating it to make sure all sides are golden brown.
- It’ll take about 10–15 minutes all together.
To Prepare the Braising Liquid
- While the pork is searing, prepare the braising liquid. Put 1 cup sake, 1 cup soy sauce, 2 cups water, and ⅔ cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot (I used a Dutch oven) that will fit the chashu. Then, add the Tokyo negi (green part) and 4 slices ginger.
To Simmer the Chashu
- Transfer the seared chashu roll to the Dutch oven.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat.
- 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 ingredients down and limit the evaporation. You do not need to use a regular lid to control the evaporation. If you don’t have an otoshibuta, you can make one with aluminum foil (here’s how to make the otoshibuta).
- Simmer on low heat, and cover with the otoshibuta at all times for the next 2 hours, turning the chashu every 30 minutes.
- After 2 hours, the braising liquid has reduced a bit. Turn off the heat to let the chashu roll cool a little bit.
To Rest the Chashu Overnight
- Once the meat is slightly cooled, transfer it to a container or a plastic food vacuum-sealing bag, such as one for the FoodSaver system. (If you‘re doubling or tripling this recipe, put each chashu roll in its own bag.) Strain the leftover cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Add ½ cup of the cooking liquid into the bag. If using a container, add about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the braising liquid to the bottom and cover.
- If using the FoodSaver bag, seal it with a FoodSaver sealer. Tip: Fold a piece of paper towel to plug the entry of the FoodSaver bag. This paper towel will absorb any extra moisture when you seal.
- Tip: I also made quick Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago) with the leftover liquid. Simply cook and peel soft-boiled eggs, add them to a bag with ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and close. Cover the cooking liquid, and store the chashu, ramen eggs, and the cooking liquid in the refrigerator.
DAY 2
- Open the bag of chashu.
- Cut the twine with kitchen shears and remove the twine pieces completely.
- Slice the chashu into ¼-inch pieces and keep the end piece for Chashu Fried Rice!
- Place the chashu slices on a ceramic plate. Sear and enhance the flavor with a kitchen butane torch. You can also use a broiler in the oven. Enjoy them immediately or serve on your ramen.
- Scoop up and discard the solidified fat from the cooking sauce.
- Strain the sauce over a fine-mesh sieve to make sure the solidified fat is left behind. Pour the sauce into a mason jar or container and seal. The sauce will last for a month in the refrigerator. I use it for drizzling over the chashu and for making stir-fried dishes, marinades, and ramen eggs.
To Store
- You can store the chashu in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or 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 Bowl 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 saltier the longer you keep them in the marinade, so remove them from the sauce when they have the right taste.
FOR NON-ROLLED CHASHU
- Gather all the ingredients. For small blocks of pork belly (about 1 lb) like I‘ve used here, you don’t need to roll them up before cooking, and the simmering time is just 1 hour (instead of 2 hours). Tip: To cook 1 lb (454 g) of pork belly, see the ingredients list in the Notes section at the end of the recipe card.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or regular frying pan) over high heat. When the pan is hot, add ½ Tbsp neutral oil. Sear ¾ lb pork belly block fat-side down first, then flip over to sear the other side; this will take about 10 minutes.
- While searing, prepare a heavy-bottomed pot (or regular pot) that will fit the chashu. To the pot, add the green part of 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion), 4 slices ginger (unpeeled), ⅓ cup sake, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅔ cup water, and 3 Tbsp sugar. Once you‘re done searing the meat, add it to the pot. Bring the liquid 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 ingredients down and limit the evaporation. If you don’t have an otoshibuta, you can make one with aluminum foil (here’s how to make otoshibuta). Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, turning the chashu every 15 minutes and keeping an otoshibuta on at all times.
- After 1 hour, there is ½ inch of liquid left in the pot. Now, you have 2 options. Option 1: If you’re serving it right away, remove the otoshibuta and further reduce the sauce on low heat until the sauce thickens and you can see the bottom of the pot when you draw a line through the sauce with a spatula. Option 2 (recommended): Transfer the chashu to a container or bag with a little bit of cooking sauce and refrigerate overnight. Strain the leftover cooking sauce, transfer to a jar, and refrigerate.
- To serve, slice the chashu into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces. Sear and enhance the flavor with a kitchen butane torch. If you stored the chashu overnight and don’t want to sear the chashu, you can reheat it by soaking it in hot cooking sauce.
Notes
- 1 lb pork belly block (454 g)
- 1 negi (long green onion) (substitute with 1 leek or 2-3 green onions)
- 1 knob ginger
- ½ Tbsp neutral-flavored 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)
Nutrition
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.
Hello Nami,
There’s a little experiment with this recipe that’s worth trying out. The idea is to use bacon for the non-rolled version. Why bacon you might ask? Well, bacon is pork belly that has been subjected to a process known as curing which is basically the means of how the pork belly is preserved. The process uses both smoking, sugars, and salts to allow the bacon to keep for a long time. It also adds favor to the pork belly as well.
Do share your opinion as well,
Scott E. Sargent
Hi Scott! Oh I’d love to know how it’s like using bacon! My only worry is the salt level as we want to use soy sauce to flavor this…
Hello Nami,
The experiment worked out quite well. The only change I would make would be to use Canadian bacon instead of regular bacon as Canadian bacon has more meat than regular bacon
Test successful,
Scott E. Sargent
Hi Scott, Thank you very much for the update!😊
I couldn’t resist buying the whole slab of pork belly from Costco today and can’t wait to make a double portion of this recipe. What’s better to do than reading your wonderful website and cooking during shelter-in-place. I hope the quality of meat is as good as the ones in the Japanese market. I read in your comments that you often make 2 rolls at once and was wondering if you use more than 1 recipe of sauce. With the left over sauce, can I freeze and reuse for making future chashus – kind of like the “master sauce” for Chinese braising? In one of the earlier comments, someone asked about konbu cha… but i didn’t see it in the ingredients…did I miss something? One more question: do you know where in the Bay Area I can buy the adjustable metal otoshibuta like yours? Thanks again for all of your good work. Just love everything you are doing. Stay safe and healthy 😃
Hi Karen! Yes, you can freeze the leftover sauce, I use to marinate eggs etc. However, I do not use it to cook future chashu with this thick sauce – easy to burn and sake is evaporated already etc. However, like you said, you can use it as a master sauce and add more new condiments.
My original recipe that I posted in 2011 had konbucha insteaad of salt. If you can get it at a Japanese grocery store, you can definitely use it. It adds a nice “secret” flavor. As most people can’t get it, I simplify this recipe with salt.
The adjustable metal otoshisbuta can be found here (so far that’s one I found): https://mtckitchen.com/adjustable-stainless-steel-drop-lid-otoshibuta/
With being stuck at home I have been experimenting with new recipes. This Chashu made my ramen dinner. It had amazing flavor and well worth the waiting overnight. I used the the sauce to make soft boiled eggs and they too were amazing. I will be making this again. Now I just need to figure out the ramen broth.
Hi Kelly! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! So glad you enjoyed it along with ramen eggs. 🙂 I’m happy to hear that you are experimenting with new recipes.
I’ve tried many of your recipes and they are great. Your site is my go-to when it comes to Jap food. I am going to try this soon. Since there are so many comments to this post, I was really hoping to find some reviews. To my disappointment I’ve not found any reviews from people who’ve tried making this recipe. I wonder why.
Hi Gemma! You’re probably reading the comments on the top area… I’ve been blogging for a long time, and this recipe was originally published 8-9 years ago. Back in the days, food bloggers used to “blog hop” different food blogs to leave a kind comment to support each other. And I think you’re reading those comments? They are not fake comments, but they are like “This looks great! I want to make it!” type of comments. 🙂 In fall 2018 we implemented comment tabs that you can click to see General, Review, and Question to avoid reading entire comments (some recipes have many real comments). This tab is currently (May 2020) not working but my developer is fixing now, so it should work soon, in case you want to only read reviews that were added after fall 2018. The commenters can click on the box to categorize their comment is general, review, or question, which will sort my comment section (if they help participate). Hope I answered your question. Chashu is always one of my popular recipes, so I can imagine total number of comments to load will take some time (and newer comments are bottom – maybe I could reverse it – I have to think about it).
Thank you Nami for your reply. Appreciate it.
I think if you show the latest comments of people who’ve made this recipe, it will be more helpful as most people read comments to know what are the common mistakes to take note of and tweaks the home cooks may have made to the recipe.
Hi Gemma! I’ll ask the developer if we can change it. Thank you so much for your feedback! 🙂
I’ve just deleted 140 comments from other bloggers (wow, very nostalgic comments from 2011!). Now all the comments should be from the readers. Hopefully it’s less crowded. I try to address all the issues/faqs in the post when readers point out and I didn’t explain in the post clearly. And I’m still waiting for the comment tabs to get fixed… hopefully it’ll be easier to read through comments.
Nami, thank you for your response and reorganising the comments. It is very helpful!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My favorite parts of ramen are both the char shu and boiled egg!
But mostly thank you for the small block version. That’s perfect for me and with the substitution of a sugar substitute it’s totally Keto if that’s all I eat!!!
Thank you!!
Hi Marlene! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for your kind feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Did you ever need to add some water during the 2 hours?
I kept it at low heat and it reduced so much in the end it burnt and the liquid was a thick grainy paste. I even added water after the second flip. I thought there was enough liquid for the last 30 min without adding water but I was wrong.
Hi Albert! Did you put a Drop Lid (Otoshibuta) on top all times (See step 4 and 5)? It’s not a lid that covers 100% but it should cover most of it that will prevent the liquid from evaporating while it presses down the meat and help to circulate the cooking liquid on top of the meat. The liquid will be slowly reduced but not that fast. We do not need to add water. It seems like your heat was too strong or you didn’t cover with the drop lid at all?
I didnt have one, so I grabbed some foil and made it look like the one you made (I didn’t look at the directions on making one, I just folded some foil and poked a few holes). The heat setting was on the lowest, but maybe it got too hot over time. The bottom of the chashu burnt a bit when it touched the pot and sauce was like burnt teriyaki, so I decided to lightly rinse the outside of the meat for a few seconds so it doesn’t marinate in burnt sauce overnight. I lightly brushed some fresh soy sauce and a little sugar before I put it in the fridge. Still turned out pretty good! Didn’t taste the burnt parts at all. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Albert! Thank you so much for your response! Hmmm maybe your heat was strong. I have a pretty powerful stove compared to a normal gas stove, and maybe yours too. When my gas stove has to be “low heat”, I know it means even lower heat in a standard stove. I’m glad you could still manage to rescue your chashu (after spending so much time cooking it). Thank you again for trying this recipe!
Hi Nami,
Both of my kids really love chasu topping on ramen. And now I want to try to make it at home! Thanks to your recipe..
I have a question though. Do you think I can cook the chasu in instant pot after searing? Thanks!
Hi Leony! I’m sure you could, but you’ll have to use more seasoning to cover the chashu and the sauce won’t be reduced because of enclosed cooking. I feel it’s a bit of waste to use huge amount of condiments and I prefer reducing and thickening the sauce as we cook the chashu… so I don’t use IP for this recipe. 🙂
Nami! Thank you so much for all your hard work and wonderful help. I have already used your recipe for pork belly several times, but I tried it with pork butt (shoulder) roast today and it was great. Pork shoulder is a great substitute for me becuase it is very hard to find high quality pork belly where I live. I’m so excited to know that pork shoulder can be just as good for this recipe. Thanks again for everything you do. 🙂
Hi Brett! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback on pork butt (shoulder). I’m glad you get to make it more often from now on. 😀 Thanks again, Brett!
no idea why they compare this to Char Sui. Char Sui is BBQ. Chinese Dung Po is braised pork belly, much more similar to this. Almost identical ingredients. Dung Po is 1” cubes of pork belly first boiled briefly to remove impurities, then browned in a pan to develop flavor via Mailard reaction, then slowly braised for 1-2 hours in soy sauce, Chinese rock sugar, scallions and rice wine. It’s basically the same recipe, slightly different procedures. But easier to freeze small portions because the Dung Po is in 1” cubes. The leftover cooking liquid is equally awesome. I often make “souped up ramen” with Dung Po from my freezer, a couple shrimp, rehydrated black fungus (called woodear mushrooms in US), rehydrated Shitake, scallions, julienned carrot, and hot chili oil or black garlic oil.
Hi Eve! The comparison of the two names is because of their name similarity. Somehow the Japanese named this dish “chashu” like Char Siu even though the cooking method is quite different…
What kind of sake do you use for the recipe?
Hi Leah! I use this inexpensive, but drinkable sake: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake/
Hi. Is there a way to make this in the instant pot? I could not find a log of pork belly but Costco had thick slices of it (2 inches x 2 inches 8 inches long) Wanted to see if I can make Chashu with the smaller pieces of meat in the instant pot. Thanks for the recipe! I have made so many of your recipes. And all have turned out delicious.
Hi Susan! You can… but you should increase the sauce so the meat will stay in the sauce while being cooked (as you can’t rotate during the cooking). I think you can make the slab version (although fat will render more as you don’t roll, and can be drier). 🙂
Hi Nami,
Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe. It taste perfect just as the ramen shops. I have simmered the pork belly ( rolled) in a cast iron pot for 2 hours… left to cool for 2 hours and simmered again for another hour.
The texture is a bit hard and not melting in mouth. Have a missed any steps? Do you recommend using pressure cooker or sous vide (just like what ippudo also have?)
Great thanks!
Hi Howard! Thank you for trying my recipe! So… you cooked for 3 hours? Hmmm. The more you cook, the fat will render and will dry out. That’s why rolled one tends to be moister than unrolled chashu. Did your pork belly have good fat? When I sear the sliced chashu, it has good fat that makes it tender. You can use a pressure cooker, if you are going to double the liquid recipe (make sure it’s submerged enough). Sous vide can be a good option, but I have never tried (not everyone has one, so I didn’t think about using it for this recipe).
Hello! Great recipe, I just have one question. Does the rolled Chashu have to sit overnight, and if so can I leave it longer?
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you! Yes, you can keep it longer too. But it gets saltier so decide when it’s the right timing for you. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I always enjoy your site and thank you for the detailed recipe for making chashu. Would this recipe work on making a chicken chashu in your opinion? My wife doesn’t like pork belly but she loves chicken. Perhaps, chicken breast outside and thigh inside rolled version might work?
Hi Steve! Hmm I don’t’ think chicken is fatty enough to make this way, but you can definitely season the rolled chicken with this sauce. Don’t overcook the chicken though. 🙂
Can I replace sake with Mirin? I do not have sake at home.
Hi Carrie! Sake is not sweetened, so if you add mirin (that’s sake and sugar), you have to adjust the sweetness in the recipe. You can use Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, if you don’t have sake. 🙂
Hi Nami! Thanks for the great and easy recipes as always!! I have a quick question, I recently found out I’m pregnant and realized I will need to start finding alternatives for cooking with sake/mirin. Do you have any tips for alternatives?
Hi Kari! If the recipe (like this) calls for simmering the sake/mirin, there should not be any alcohol left in the sauce, so you can consume. But if the recipe calls for sake/mirin that doesn’t cook at all, then alcohol still stays, so you may want to avoid. FYI, pregnant Japanese ladies cook Japanese food daily with sake and mirin. Just make sure to cook it until you don’t smell alcohol (1-2 mins max). 🙂