Steps

1. Cut the Pork Belly (500g) into roughly six slightly larger pieces.
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2. Heat a frying pan without oil. Place the cut pork belly, fat-side down, over low heat and sear until browned.
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3. Gently press with tongs and sear all sides until browned, then remove from the pan. **(Key Tip!)** Searing without oil allows excess fat to render out easily.
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4. Place the seared pork belly into a pot. Add enough water to cover the meat. **(Key Tip!)** Using a pot that's just the right size will require less braising liquid later.
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5. Add sliced ginger (3 slices) to eliminate any gaminess.
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6. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then carefully skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
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7. Once scum is removed, cover with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the pot (otoshifuta) and poke a few holes with a chopstick. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 1 hour to parboil. **(Key Tip!)** Removing moisture during parboiling helps the meat absorb flavors better. Maintaining a low simmer after boiling prevents the temperature from dropping too much.
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8. (Optional) In a separate pot, boil eggs for 7 minutes to make soft-boiled eggs. Cool in ice water and peel.
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9. After 30 minutes of parboiling, check the water level. If the pork is no longer submerged, add more water to cover, bring back to a boil, then return to a low simmer.
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10. After 1 hour of parboiling, remove the parchment paper. Take out only the pork belly from the pot and return it to the empty pot.
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11. To the pot with the pork belly, add [A] Water (200cc), [A] Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) (100cc), [A] Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) (50cc), [A] Soy Sauce (50cc), [A] Sugar (3 tbsp), and [A] Honey (1 tbsp) in that order.
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12. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring with a spatula to dissolve the honey.
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13. Once simmering, cover with parchment paper (otoshifuta) with poked holes and lid. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 30 minutes. **(Key Tip!)** Poking holes in the otoshifuta allows the braising liquid to circulate evenly, ensuring consistent flavor.
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14. After 30 minutes of simmering, remove the lid and otoshifuta.
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15. Place the peeled boiled eggs in the gaps between the pork belly. Cover again with parchment paper and the lid, then let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour. **(Key Tip!)** The flavor permeates most deeply as the dish cools, so this step makes a significant difference.
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16. Once cooled, reheat thoroughly until the center is hot just before serving. It's ready!
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