Use your Instant Pot to make this melt-in-your-mouth Pressure Cooker Pork Belly (Kakuni) recipe! Serve the tender morsels over a Japanese steamed rice bowl with the savory sauce drizzled on top. Make this time-saving dish your family‘s new favorite for dinner!
I received many requests for more Instant Pot recipes after I shared my Slow Cooker Chicken Wings recipe. I love my Instant Pot. This electric cooker has both a pressure cooker and s slow cooker function.
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite and super delicious Instant Pot recipes, Pressure Cooker Pork Belly (Kakuni)! I really hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as my family does.
If you’ve never had a Japanese pork belly dish called Kakuni (角煮)… oh my gosh, where should I begin? It’s my favorite Japanese pork dish. The tender pork cooking for hours simply melts in your mouth and the sweet and savory sauce…ah, it’s hard not to drool thinking about it. Seriously.
Making Kakuni with a Pressure Cooker
Whether you’re already familiar with how to make Kakuni on the stovetop or have never made it before, I highly recommend making Kakuni with a pressure cooker. Why? Because you can cook it FAST. Much, much, faster than on a stovetop. This special dish that you used to prepare once in a while will soon become a weeknight repertoire. When you cook pork belly over the stovetop, it takes a while (hours) to get the pork super tender and you need to constantly monitor the temperature and amount of liquid remaining in the pot. With a pressure cooker, these worries go away and the process is very simple.
Still hesitant about buying a pressure cooker because of the memories of your mom’s old-fashioned pressure cooker? I was. My mom has this stovetop pressure cooker that makes everyone nervous when it makes a hissing, whistling, and rattling sound. I was used to hearing the sound, yet for the longest time (and still), I didn’t feel safe using it by myself in my kitchen.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
However, having the Instant Pot changed me. This electric pressure cooker is very easy and user-friendly. Even though it is both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker, I actually use the pressure cooker function more often than the slow cooker function. Why? It cuts down cooking time significantly, and it’s a perfect cooking gadget for busy cooks!
In case you’re interested, I put the recipe below for my regular Kakuni recipe you can make using the stovetop.
I hope you enjoy my Kakuni recipe using a pressure cooker. I have never used other types/brands of pressure cookers so for instructions on how to use your device, please refer to the manual.
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Pressure Cooker Pork Belly (Kakuni)
Video
Ingredients
- 3 green onions/scallions (use only the green part)
- 1 knob ginger (1 inch, 2.5 cm per knob)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 2 lb pork belly block (or use 3–4 lb, 1.35–2 kg and increase the seasonings by 50%; Japanese grocery stores sell pork belly without the rind; if needed, ask your butcher to remove it)
- water (for cooking the pork belly)
- 4 soft or hard-boiled eggs (you can use my soft-boiled or hard-boiled egg recipes)
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (for a spicy kick)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. My pork belly was from a Korean market and pre-cut into ¼ inch (6 mm) slices. If you buy a pork belly block, you can freeze the meat for 30–60 minutes and cut it with a sharp knife (see my post on how to slice meat). You could also cut it into cubes 2 x 2 inches or 5 x 5 cm, which is a typical Japanese pork belly (kakuni) shape.
- We will only use the green part of 3 green onions/scallions. Cut the green part in half. (Reserve the white part for another dish like Homemade Miso Soup to serve with this Kakuni.) Peel 1 knob ginger and slice it thinly.
To Cook
- Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot (I use a 6 QT Instant Pot) or heat your stovetop pressure cooker. Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Add 2 lb pork belly block in a single layer, searing both sides. You may need to work in batches. If so, transfer the seared pieces to a plate and sear the next batch. When finished, put all the seared pork belly back into the pot. Tip: You can skip the searing process to cut down your cooking time, but this step will render more fat and make the dish tastier.
- Pour in just enough water to cover the meat. Then, add the green parts of the green onions and the sliced ginger. Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the steam release handle points at Sealing. Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button on the Instant Pot to stop sautéing. Press the Manual button to switch to the Pressure Cooking mode. Change the cooking time to 35 minutes and start cooking.
- For a Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Lock the lid and cook on high heat until high pressure is reached. Then, reduce the heat to low to maintain high pressure for about 30 minutes. To cook in a regular pot on the stove, see the end notes.
- When cooking is completed, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to the Keep Warm mode. Either slide the steam release handle to the Venting position to quick release the steam OR let the pressure release naturally (about 15 minutes). Unlock the lid. Drain the cooking water and discard the green onion and ginger. Rinse the pork belly under warm water.
- Put the pork belly back into the Instant Pot. Add ½ cup water, ¼ cup sake, ½ cup mirin, ½ cup soy sauce, and ¼ cup sugar. Mix the seasonings. Add 4 soft or hard-boiled eggs (peeled). Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and press the Adjust button to increase the heat. Bring it to simmer to let the alcohol evaporate (only a minute). Then, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to turn off the Sauté mode. Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the steam release handle points at Sealing. Press Manual and set the cooking time to 10 minutes for sliced pork belly and 20 minutes for pork belly cubes.
- When cooking is finished, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to the Keep Warm mode. Slide the steam release handle to Venting to let out steam until the float valve drops down. Unlock the lid. Optionally, press the Sauté button and simmer on low heat until the liquid in the cooker reduces by half.
To Serve
- Serve the rice in a individual donburi (large) bowls and pour some sauce from the pot on top. Place the pork belly and egg on top (add some blanched green vegetables, if you‘d like). Pour additional sauce over the meat and serve immediately. If you like it a bit spicy, sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice). Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for a month.
I have made this a few days ago and it wasfantastic. Thanks for the recipe.
I added some thickly sliced daikon at the final cooking phase to cook with the sauce and the meat. I soaks up flavor and it is wonderfully tender. Cheers!
Hi Zoltan! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Kakuni and Daikon! ☺️
Thank you so much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your cooking experience with us. Happy Cooking!
I don’t have the same instant pot/pressure cooker as you. Do I cook on high for both pressure cooking times?
Hi Jess! Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Yes. You can use high pressure for both cooking times. We hope you enjoy Kakuni as much as we do. Happy Cooking!
Hi Naomi, I have a 2 lb block of pork shoulder… would this recipe work with that? Any adjustments? Thanks for all your great recipes.
Hi Andrew! Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Yes. The texture will not be soft as pork belly, but a 2 lb block of pork shoulder should work.
We hope you enjoy the dish!
Hi Nami, how does the end result from this instant pot version compare to your traditional kakuni recipe cooked on the stove top? Would the lean meat be just slightly dryer due to the pressure of the IP? Wondering also why the traditional method recipe include pounding of the meat initially. Of course the IP alternative is great for time saving, would like to know if time is not the concern, would you prefer the end result of the traditional stove top recipe. Bought a pack of pretty good looking belly from Costco yesterday and ate some yummy kakuni at Marufuku Ramen last night. Still craving it, so looking forward to making some more yummy kakuni today. Just debating which one of your recipes to use. Thank you so much.
Hi Karen, Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Nami pounds the meat to soften and tenderize it. Because the pressure cooker softens the meat so nicely, this step is unnecessary before cooking.
In terms of cooking methods, Nami likes both. While preparing a large block of meat, she loves to use a pressure cooker to cook it faster and tenderize the meat. Given the amount of sauce in the pressure cooker, we don’t think you’ll have to worry about the beef drying out.
We hope this helps!
I just made this for dinner tonight and got rave reviews from my son. Indeed, it was delicious! I will definitely be making this again. The balance of flavors in the sauce is just perfect! (I’ve made ‘kakuni’ many times before with a traditional pressure cooker, but this is the first time to try it in the Instant Pot.)
Hi Andrea! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s Kakuni recipe.
Thank you for trying her recipe and for your kind feedback.
Happy Cooking!
So looking foreward to making this. I usually use my solar oven (works just like a slow cooker but even cheaper). Now in the winter, delighted to have found that I can use the pressure cooker instead. Am I the only one that saves the cooking water from the first step as pork broth ? I leave it over night in the fridge then take the fat off the surface. THANK YOU for your great recipes
Hi MadameC! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Yes! You can certainly save the cooking water and prepare it as you described.
Thank you for sharing your cooking experience with us. 🙂
I also keep the cooking water which I store in mason jars. After it’s been in the fridge overnight, I skim off the fat and use it when I need lard. The water goes to flavor soups ( I also generally have at least a couple of mason jars of bone broth) or perhaps over kibble for the dog.
I used to cook it the traditional recipe way but using the pressure cooker, (Foodi) I eat this once a month. Love Kakuni.
Hi Junji! We are glad to hear you like the Pressure cooker method!
Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your feedback. 🙂
Happy Cooking!
Hi cooking this recipe for a charity I cook with for the homeless, as we freeze the meals what do you suggest to go with the pork as I don’t think the eggs would freeze well
Hi Jo-Ann! How nice of you cooking for charity! 💞
Yes. The egg does not freeze well. How about skipping the egg in this recipe and adding the spinach Ohitashi on the side? https://www.justonecookbook.com/spinach-ohitashi-japanese-spinach-salad-with-bonito-flakes/
And this post might help you find more freezer-friendly dishes: https://www.justonecookbook.com/meal-prep-freezer-friendly-bento-dishes/
We hope this is helpful!
Hi!
I was wondering, what is the reason for rinsing the meat?
Thanks.
Hi Elja’e! We recommend rinsing the meat so that the cooking residue and extra fat coated the pork will be washed, and the meat will have a clean taste.
We hope this helps!
I’ve made it twice now, and I love the flavors in this dish. But I’m not always in the mood for the fatty pork belly. Can I use chicken (such as boneless thigh) instead?
Hi Lyn, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
Sure, you can use chicken. However, please adjust (reduce) the cooking time for the chicken.😉
Great! Looking forward to trying the variation, thank you for your response.
You are welcome, Lyn!☺️
Made it a couple of times, hard to not overcook the eggs. Maybe add them later?
Hi Bill! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
To not overcook the eggs, we recommend adding them much later. If the remaining heat in the pot, the egg will continue to cook, and it will be hard.
We hope this helps!
Hi Nami, I have a question. If I’ve made ramen eggs and they are perfectly goey on the inside, then won’t adding them into the pressure cooker in the second stage of cooking (when you add the soy sauce, mirin etc) raise their temps and cook them, as it gets up to 250 degrees in the Instant pot, them so they become hard boiled?
I’ve been adding them into the mix AFTER I finish the second stage of cooking so they warm up after marinating in the fridge for a day or two, but am I missing something?
I LOVE your receipes – thankyou for being so awesome and making them such a wonderful resource!
Nicole.
Hi Nicole, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
If you like the soft-boiled egg, we do not recommend adding it during the cooking. Yes. It will become hard-boiled. Just like you mentioned, you can add them into the mix after finish cooking. 🙂
Hi Namiko,
For years I just happened to stumble upon your website when looking for specific Japanese recipes and they have always been so reliably good. Now, its the first place I look. I hope you release a physical cookbook one day! Im sure it would be a good hit.
Hi Tyler! Thank you very much for your kind feedback to Namiko!
She is so happy to hear you enjoy many recipes from the JOC website.🥰
Currently, Namiko has an ebook here:https://www.justonecookbook.com/just-one-cookbook-essential-japanese-recipes/.
And print version is available on Amazon shop:https://amzn.to/35Ahqge.
Her second ebook is also on the way. We hope you enjoy it.🙂
It was so delicately delicious and super easy to make and clean up. I substituted for meaty ribs since I didn’t have pork belly on hand. Will definitely make it again with pork belly. Than you Nami🙏for expanding our dining menu at home.
Hi Mina! Nami and the JOC team are so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your sweet feedback.☺️
Just great!
Great substitute of the eight hours cooking for kakuni 🙂
I loved it!
Hi Carla, We are so happy to hear you love this pressure cooker version of Pork Belly! Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!