Quick Shoyu Pork
ラフテー·(ra-fu-te)
The American Uchinanchu Pantry: Foundations
In Okinawa, grandmother's rafute demanded a ceremonial block of skin-on pork belly, a bottle of indigenous rice liquor, and the better part of an afternoon. But for the diaspora working the plantations of Hawaii or raising kids in the Ohio suburbs, time and geography forced a brilliant adaptation. By cubing the meat and searing it aggressively in its own fat, you bypass hours of boiling. Dark brown sugar and sake step in for elusive island ingredients, producing a sticky, lacquered glaze that tastes profoundly of the old country. It is a pragmatic, weeknight miracle that honors the homeland without being precious about it.
Before you start
Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces.
Aim for one-inch cubes to maximize surface area, which rapidly renders the fat and drastically cuts down the braising time.
Prepare the aromatics.
Smash the garlic cloves and slice the ginger into thick coins. There is no need to peel the ginger.
Ingredients
- pork belly1 1/2 lb
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- garlic4 med cloves
- fresh ginger1 med
- water1/2 cup
- soy sauce1/2 cup
- sake1/3 cup
- dark brown sugar1/3 cup
- mirin1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the pork vigorously in a heavy pot.
Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with the oil. Working in batches if necessary, brown the pork belly cubes aggressively on at least two sides for 5 to 7 minutes. This renders the excess fat and replicates the work of a traditional hours-long pre-boil.
- 02
Drain the fat and bloom the aromatics.
Remove all but one tablespoon of the rendered pork fat from the pot. Toss in the smashed garlic and sliced ginger, sautéing for about a minute until highly fragrant.
- 03
Build the braising liquid.
Pour in the water, soy sauce, sake, dark brown sugar, and mirin. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
- 04
Simmer until meltingly tender.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The pork is ready when a fork pierces the meat with zero resistance.
- 05
Reduce the liquid to a rich glaze.
Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the braising liquid bubble aggressively for 10 to 15 minutes. It will thicken into a sticky, lacquered glaze that coats the pork perfectly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not fear the fat.
The aggressive browning renders out the heavy grease, leaving behind the rich, melt-in-your-mouth collagen that defines authentic Asian braised meats.
Simulate an authentic drop lid.
For an extra touch of Japanese grandmother wisdom, lay a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil directly on top of the simmering liquid. This forces the braise to continuously wash over the meat, ensuring even flavor distribution.
Serve with rice and a sharp vegetable.
This dish is unapologetically rich. Serve it over steamed white rice alongside something astringent, like baby bok choy or bitter melon, to cut the fat.
From Cook Okinawan in America.