Asian Pork Belly Marinade

Tired of the same old pork marinades? Try this simple and tasty Asian-inspired marinade for a flavorful twist on your next pork belly dish. Perfect for grilling or roasting, this marinade will take your pork to the next level.

about this asian pork belly marinade

Sweet, sticky, and unbelievably flavorful – this Asian-inspired pork belly marinade transforms an already delicious cut into something that’ll make you want to lick your plate clean. After testing this recipe several times (my family wasn’t complaining), I finally nailed the perfect balance of soy, hoison, and chinese five spice that creates that irresistible finish.

This 12-hour marinade that does all the heavy lifting for you. While you’re going about your day, this blend of aromatics is working its magic, infusing the meat with deep umami flavors and tenderizing it to that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re all after.

This marinade hits all the right notes – sweet, savory, and just a hint of heat (don’t worry, the heat add-in is optional of course!). It also has the bonus of caramelizing the edges of your pork belly. You can even reduce the marinade down to a sauce by adding to a saucepan and bringing to a simmer or a boil. Brush your pork with it and enjoy.

ingredients

hoisin sauce. This sauce is sweet and thick, giving the marinade the base of Asian flavors that it needs.

honey. Any of the main pantry liquid sweeteners will work, so you could use honey, agave, or maple syrup.

soy sauce. We like to use light sodium soy sauce, but you can use your favorite brand. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos.

dry sherry. Dry sherry is preferred for its flavor, but you can also use dry vermouth or a dry white wine.

rice wine vinegar. You can use rice wine vinegar or mirin for this marinade. Another option is to simply use rice vinegar.

Chinese five spice. This spice blend is a combination of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns. We love using Chinese five spice powder for marinades, sauces, and spice mixes. It has such a unique flavor and adds a lot of depth to any recipe.

garlic. Grab a jar of minced garlic or mince the garlic cloves yourself.

sriracha. While optional, this gives the marinade a subtle heat. You can also use chili garlic sauce.

this recipe’s must-haves

All you need to make this recipe is a large bowl and a whisk. Make sure to choose the largest bowl from your mixing bowls set to make sure there’s enough room for the pork belly.

here’s how to make this pork belly marinade

whisk

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk until well-combined.

marinate

Add pork belly to the bowl, turning to coat it all over. Leave it fat side up in the marinade.

Cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight in the refrigerator.

tips and tricks

score your pork belly skin. If you want to go the extra mile, score your pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern to really let the marinade penetrate the meat. This also helps if you are cooking crispy pork belly!

pat dry before marinating. Be sure to pat the whole pork belly dry before adding it to the marinade. This will make sure the extra moisture doesn’t dilute the marinade.

want to meal prep? Portion out your pork belly into freezer bags with the marinade. While the pork thaws it marinates so you can simply cook whenever it’s ready to go.

give it time. The longer it sits, the better it’ll taste! Let it marinate for at least 2 hours, but no more than 12 hours.

More tasty pork dishes to try: Pulled Pork Burger | Smoked Pork Loin | Pork Belly Breakfast Sandwich | Roasted Garlic Pork Tenderloin

can I marinated pork belly overnight?

We recommend marinating this pork belly for up to 12 hours in the fridge. You can marinate it overnight, but make sure you don’t over-marinate it. Remove it from the marinade after 12 hours in the fridge.

what are the different ways to cook pork belly?

You can cook pork belly by braising it in the oven (or baking until crispy, see below for more on that), pressure cooking it (we recommend searing the fat off in a skillet after), or sous vide. Choose your favorite pork belly recipe and enjoy!

how do I make crispy Asian pork belly?

Making crispy pork belly is pretty simple, it just requires a bit of cooking time in the oven! Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Remove the pork belly from the marinade and place on a rack set in a rimmed backing sheet (or a cast iron frying pan). Bake for 30 minutes, skin side up. Remove from oven and lower the oven temp to 275˚F.

Lightly tent the pork with foil, then cook for another 20 to 25 minutes until it reaches 145˚F internal temp. Remove from the oven and let the pork rest for 10 minutes before you slice and serve. Serve pork belly slices with your favorite sides like broccoli, bok choy, carrots, and/or rice.

Need more inspiration for a sweet treat? Check out my dessert recipes page!

how to use this asian pork belly marinade

Use this marinade with pork belly, of course! This marinade works for up to 2 lbs of pork belly. If you have a larger cut, simply increase the marinade to accommodate.

This light marinade is so tasty, you can also use it with pork tenderloin, chicken breasts/thighs, and other light meats.

more easy marinades to try

This honey soy marinade only needs 5 ingredients and it works for chicken, pork, steak, and fish!

Whenever I want to make the best tacos, I use this mexican chicken marinade for the most tender and flavorful chicken.

Love steak? This 3 ingredient steak marinade is ideal for busy weeknight meals.

Finally, if you make this asian pork belly marinade recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

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