La Niña has inched its way into our summer.  I love rainy days especially on Sundays.  It gives me good reason to just curl up in a corner with a good book or snuggle up with my honey and watch Turner Classic movies.  Sad to say this does not happen very often but when it does, I take advantage and play up that cozy comforting atmosphere by brewing something in the kitchen.  It was the perfect time to make this Slow-Cooked Pork Belly recipe I have eyed but have not had time to make.  It embodied the feeling of hominess, just by the smell alone.  And what’s good about slow-cook meals is that I get to settle in my corner while it’s cooking.

Slow Cooked Pork Belly

What you need:

• 400g pork belly
• ½ cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
• ¼ cup Chinese cooking wine (in absence I used dry white wine)
• 1 tbsp.  Brown sugar
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. Ginger
• ¼ tsp. Pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. Ground sage

What you do:

1. In a bowl, except for the pork belly, mix all remaining ingredients.
2. Use that mixture to marinade the pork belly, best if overnight but a few hours will suffice.
3. On a hot pan, sear the marinated pork belly on all sides until golden.
4. Pour the marinade into a slow cooker and transfer the pork.
5. Set to 75 – 90˚C and let cook for 4-6 hours, until the pork belly is fork tender.

What can I say?  Our rainy Sunday reward was a meal of tender, flavorful, slightly caramelized meat with a wicked sauce best topped with rice.