The Perfect Pork Belly Hot Pot: Cooking Time Revealed

Hot pot is a Japanese communal dish that is cooked and shared at the dining table. It is a popular comfort food, especially during cold weather. The foundation of the hot pot is the broth, which often includes dashi, a stock made from konbu and dried bonito flakes.

To make pork belly hot pot, the pork belly is thinly sliced and then cooked in the broth for around 3 minutes. Other ingredients such as vegetables and spices are also added to the hot pot and cooked until they are done to your liking. The entire process of making a hot pot, including preparing the broth and cooking the meat and vegetables, can take around 30 minutes to an hour. However, the cooking time may vary depending on the specific recipe and the desired level of doneness for the pork belly.

How to prepare the pork belly

Preparing pork belly for hot pot is a simple process, but it does require some time and attention to detail. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare delicious pork belly for your hot pot:

Selecting the Pork Belly:

Start by choosing a good-quality pork belly, preferably from a trusted butcher or source. Look for meat with a good layer of fat and meat, as this will ensure a juicy and tender result. If possible, opt for pasture-raised pork, which is healthier and more flavourful.

Slicing the Pork Belly:

Before you begin slicing, it is important to partially freeze the pork belly. Place it in the freezer for around 2-3 hours until it hardens slightly. This will make it easier to slice thinly and evenly.

Once the pork belly is partially frozen, use a sharp knife to slice it thinly against the grain. Aim for slices that are about ⅛-inch thick. If you prefer, you can also ask your butcher to slice the pork belly for you.

Preparing the Pork Belly for Hot Pot:

Take your sliced pork belly and arrange the slices neatly in a single layer on a plate or tray. You can also place them directly into your hot pot vessel if you are preparing to cook immediately.

If you are not cooking right away, you can store the sliced pork belly in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Cooking the Pork Belly in the Hot Pot:

When you are ready to cook, prepare your hot pot broth by combining dashi, mirin, and soy sauce in a medium bowl. You can also add other ingredients like green onions, ginger, or garlic to enhance the flavour.

Place the pork belly slices into the hot pot broth and simmer for about 3 minutes. Do not overcook the pork belly, as it can become tough. A slight pink colour in the meat is acceptable, as it will continue to cook in the hot broth.

Serving the Pork Belly Hot Pot:

Once the pork belly is cooked to your desired doneness, you can serve it directly from the hot pot vessel or transfer it to a serving platter.

Accompany the pork belly with small bowls of the hot pot broth and a variety of dipping sauces. Garnish with chopped green onions or white pepper for added flavour and colour.

Enjoy your delicious pork belly hot pot!

How to make the dashi broth

Dashi is a Japanese soup stock that forms the base of many Japanese dishes. It is made with just a few ingredients and preparation takes only 20 minutes.

To make dashi from scratch, you will need dried kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes).

• Combine 8 cups of water with 2 pieces of kombu (6-by-3-inch pieces) in a medium stockpot. You can also use 2 cups of water with a 2-inch piece of kombu for a smaller batch.
• Set the mixture aside to steep for about 30 minutes.
• Place the stockpot over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
• Remove and discard the kombu.
• Add 3 cups of katsuobushi and stir once to combine.
• As soon as the liquid boils again, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove any scum that appears on the surface as this can affect the flavour.
• Remove the broth from the heat and set it aside to steep for 15 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Do not squeeze the katsuobushi.
• Discard the katsuobushi. You should now have 4 to 5 cups of dashi.

The dashi broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

How to assemble the hot pot

To assemble a hot pot, you'll need a pot, a heat source, and a variety of raw ingredients.

First, prepare your broth. This can be as simple as heating up some chicken soup with goji berries, ginger, and scallions, or you can make a more complex broth like a Mala Beef Broth or an Herbal Mushroom Broth.

Next, gather your ingredients. A good hot pot has a variety of foods, including meats, seafood, vegetables, and starches. Here are some ideas for each category:

Meats

• Beef short ribs
• Presliced fatty beef (usually brisket or chuck)
• Leg of lamb
• Presliced pork belly

Seafood

• Manila clams
• Shrimp
• Fish balls
• Squid or cuttlefish

Vegetables

• Napa cabbage
• Chrysanthemum greens
• Yu choy
• Mountain yam
• Taro
• Lotus root
• Celtuce
• Kabocha squash
• Potato

Mushrooms

• Enoki and beech mushrooms
• Shiitake
• King oyster

Accessories

• Fried bean curd rolls
• Fish tofu
• Beef balls
• Frozen tofu
• Egg dumplings

Starches

• Instant ramen
• Rice
• Glass noodles
• Rice cakes
• Frozen dumplings

Arrange your raw ingredients on plates around the pot of broth. Each person can mix their own dipping sauce with ingredients like Chinese black vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.

Once the broth is boiling, start adding ingredients! Add the ingredients that take the longest to cook first, like hardy vegetables and meats. Then add whatever else you like!

How to cook the pork belly

How to cook pork belly in a hot pot

Ingredients

• 3/4 to 1 pound of fresh pork belly
• 8 cups of water
• 2 (6-by-3-inch) pieces of konbu
• 3 packed cups (1 1/2 ounces) of bonito flakes
• 1/2 cup of mirin
• 1/2 cup of usukuchi ("light," not low-sodium) soy sauce
• 2 negi (Japanese green onions), sliced at an angle into 2-inch pieces
• 8 cups of stemmed spinach (from about 1/2 pound)
• 4 cups of trimmed and cut mizuna (a Japanese mustard), trimmed and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups of shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves), stemmed
• 2 cups of watercress (about 1/2 pound)
• Several baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise, or two regular bok choy, cut into small pieces
• Ground white pepper, for garnish

Method

• To slice the meat yourself, freeze it until it partially hardens (2 to 3 hours), then slice it thinly against the grain with a very sharp knife.
• In a medium stockpot, combine 8 cups of water with the konbu and set the mixture aside to steep for 30 minutes.
• Place the stockpot over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Remove and discard the konbu, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water.
• Add the bonito and stir it once to combine. As soon as the liquid boils again, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove any scum that appears on the surface, as this can adversely affect the flavor.
• Remove from the heat and set aside to steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth; don't squeeze the bonito flakes. Discard the bonito flakes. This should make 4 to 5 cups of dashi.
• To prepare the broth, in a medium bowl, combine the dashi, mirin and soy sauce.
• In a pot (such as a Japanese clay donabe or cast-iron Dutch oven), place the negi, then pour in the broth.
• Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to a simmer, uncover the pot and add the pork belly, arranging the slices on top of the negi.
• When the hot pot returns to a simmer, continue to cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the spinach, mizuna, shungiku leaves, watercress and baby bok choy in a random pile on top of the pork belly. Cover and simmer until the greens are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes; gently press the greens into the broth if necessary for even cooking.
• Transfer the hot pot to the dining table. Serve the ingredients together with the broth in small bowls, garnishing with the white pepper.

Tips

• If you don't have a Japanese clay donabe, you can use a cast-iron Dutch oven to make hot pot at home.
• You can also cook this dish tableside with a portable gas burner. Arrange the ingredients on serving platters and do all the cooking at the dining table.

How to serve the hot pot

Hot pot is a fun and interactive dining experience, perfect for sharing with friends and family. It's an excellent choice for cold weather and intimate gatherings. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to serve a hot pot:

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients and Equipment:

• Broth: Choose a broth that suits your taste. Options include chicken broth, tom yum, ma-la, or a vegetarian option like savory mushroom. You can also get creative and make your own broth with ingredients like chicken, ginger, goji berries, and aromatics.
• Meats and Proteins: Select a variety of thinly sliced meats, such as beef, pork belly, and chicken. You can also include dumplings, meatballs, tofu, and offal.
• Seafood: Head-on shrimp, haddock, seabass, squid, eel, mussels, oysters, crab, and lobster are great choices.
• Vegetables: Offer a mix of delicate and hardy vegetables. Delicate options include mushrooms, tomatoes, watercress, and lettuce, while turnips, daikon radish, napa cabbage, and bok choy are more robust.
• Noodles: Udon, vermicelli, chow mein, and shangdong noodles are popular choices. For a low-carb option, try yam noodle bundles or shirataki noodles.
• Equipment: Ensure you have a tabletop burner, extra gas canisters, a divided stainless-steel pot, chopsticks, and a strainer for each guest.

Step 2: Set Up the Hot Pot:

• Broth: If using a divided pot, choose two different broths, one mild and one spicy. Place the pot on the burner and turn it on to let the broth heat up.
• Ingredients: Arrange the ingredients on platters or plates, keeping similar items together. For example, have a plate of thinly sliced meats, a plate of seafood, a plate of vegetables, and so on.
• Sauces: Set up a sauce station with various options like soy sauce, peanut sauce, chili sauces, tahini, and sesame oil. Don't forget to include some neutral options like eggs to tone down the saltiness.

Step 3: Cooking and Serving:

• Start with Long-Cooking Items: Once the broth is boiling, use the strainers to add meat or fish balls first, as they take around 5 minutes to cook. Then, add larger pieces of protein and hardy greens, such as chicken or lamb, which will take 5-8 minutes.
• Add Delicate Items: After a minute or so, gently add the quick-cooking foods like thinly sliced meats and delicate vegetables. These will cook in less than a minute, so add a few pieces at a time.
• Noodles: After you're halfway through the meal, add the noodles and cook them for a couple of minutes until soft. They will soak up all the delicious flavours from the broth.
• Dipping Sauce: Create a personal dipping sauce by mixing your favourite ingredients from the sauce station. Scallions, cilantro, and garlic are excellent additions.
• Enjoy: Use chopsticks or a strainer to remove cooked food from the hot pot and dip it into your sauce before eating. Remember to cook and eat at a leisurely pace, and always wait for the broth to return to a boil between batches.
• Drink and Side Dishes: Accompany your hot pot with cold beer or báijiǔ, a Chinese sorghum liquor. Side dishes like roasted nuts, spicy cucumber salad, scallion pancakes, and spring rolls pair well.
• Finish with Broth and Dessert: After everyone has finished cooking and eating, ladle the broth into bowls. It will be extremely hot, so sip it slowly. For dessert, serve fresh fruit or creamy ice cream to cool down.

Frequently asked questions