I Asked 4 Asian Chefs How they Cook Pork Belly!

Quick Overview

Four Asian chefs from South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Malaysia demonstrate their unique regional techniques for preparing pork belly, resulting in four distinct dishes: Korean Bossam, Filipino Lechon, Taiwanese Hongshaorou, and Malaysian Mui Choy Kau Yuk.

Key Points: Chef William Lee (South Korea) prepared Bossam by brining pork belly for 12-18 hours, boiling it for 20 minutes, and then slow-braising it for 1-1.5 hours, serving it with accompaniments like Ssamjang and Moo-kimchi. Chef Javier Fernandez (Philippines) demonstrated how to make rolled Filipino Lechon, involving scoring, seasoning, stuffing with aromatics (green onion, lemongrass), rolling, tying, air-drying overnight, and roasting at 300°F (148°C) before finishing at 450°F (232°C) to crisp the skin. Chef Kevin Hsieh (Taiwan) prepared Hongshaorou (Red Braised Pork Belly) by first cutting pre-boiled pork belly into 1.5cm squares, searing them, braising them with a sauce base made from gelatinous liquid, soy sauce, rock sugar, and spices, and finally adding mustard seed and scallions. Chef Kyo Peng (Malaysia) prepared Mui Choy Kau Yuk, which involves braising pork belly with fermented soybean paste (doenjang/gochujang), then mixing the resulting pork and mustard greens into a final serving. The Lechon preparation emphasized meticulous drying of the skin (razoring, scoring, air-drying) to ensure a crispy final texture. The Bossam preparation involved making several condiments from scratch, including Moo-kimchi (daikon kimchi) and Saeujeot-jang (salted shrimp paste), to complement the tender poached pork belly. The Hongshaorou process utilized an Instant Pot for braising after searing the pork cubes.

Context: This video features four Asian chefs—William Lee (South Korea), Javier Fernandez (Philippines), Kevin Hsieh (Taiwan), and Kyo Peng (Malaysia)—who each showcase their distinct method for cooking pork belly, reflecting the culinary traditions of their respective countries. The video transitions between the different chefs demonstrating their unique recipes, highlighting preparation techniques ranging from slow roasting Lechon to braising for Bossam and Hongshaorou.