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South Korea · Food

Dongpo Pork Belly (Dongpa-yuk)

125 min
1300 kcal
4 servings

By eatmundo · August 3, 2026

Dongpo Pork Belly (Dongpa-yuk)🇰🇷AI-generated image

Same ingredients, elsewhere in the world

22 matches

Dishes from other countries' kitchens, made from the same core ingredients as Dongpo Pork Belly (Dongpa-yuk). The percentage is the share of ingredients the two recipes have in common.

Same technique: Stew404 recipes from 26 countriesSee all 22 matches

A decadent, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork dish that showcases deep, umami-rich flavors. It is a Korean adaptation of the famous Chinese classic, perfectly balancing sweetness and soy saltiness.

According to eatmundo's ingredient comparison, the closest dish to Dongpo Pork Belly from another cuisine is Steamed Pork with Pickled Mustard Greens (China): the two share 62% of their ingredients.

Ingredients

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Adapt this recipe:
4 servings

How to Make It

  • 1

    Cut 1kg of pork belly into 5cm squares, ensuring the skin is intact.

  • 2

    Sear the pork pieces in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides.

  • 3

    Add 100ml soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, 10 garlic cloves, 30g sliced ginger, 1 leek, and 2 star anise to the pot.

  • 4

    Pour enough water to just submerge the pork, then bring to a gentle boil.

  • 5

    Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, turning the pieces once, until the skin and fat are meltingly tender and gelatinous.

  • 6

    Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high to reduce the sauce until it becomes thick and syrupy, coating the meat; once it starts to thicken, lower the heat to medium so the sugar does not scorch.

  • 7

    Baste the pork continuously with the glaze for 5 minutes, ensuring a glossy sheen.

  • 8

    Serve immediately, garnish with freshly sliced leeks, and enjoy the tender, rich texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dongpa-yuk?

Dongpa-yuk is a Korean braised pork belly dish adapted from the Chinese Dongpo rou. It consists of thick cubes of pork belly slow-cooked in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, leek, and star anise, typically served as a main course for special meals.

Can I use pork shoulder instead?

You can, but pork belly is preferred because the high fat content makes the dish succulent.

How do I know if it's done?

The meat should be so tender that it yields easily to a gentle press with a chopstick.

Can I prepare this in advance?

Yes, it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors have more time to penetrate the meat.

Why does the sauce taste bitter?

The sugar has scorched during the final reduction. As the sauce thickens in steps 6 and 7, lower the heat to medium and keep basting so the glaze stays deep amber, not black.

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