Instant Pot: Lu Rou Fan, Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly

Don’t think I haven’t been using my Instant Pot–I have–but I haven’t found a cool new toy that could write this post for me while I’m actually going through the recipe. So recipes are being tested, but I haven’t made the time to sit and write and edit them down.

Here’s one though, a remake of an old Taiwanese favorite for the Instant Pot. I cut the recipe for you in half so it’s perfect for 2-4 people. At the very last minute, I ended up adding a can of water chestnuts for crunch because you can imagine how the pork belly pieces were super giving (they were saaaaawft) after pressurizing them.

Do me a favor: the next time you eat a tangerine, keep the peel and air-dry it, and then store it in an air-tight container for the next time you cook this recipe again. I know you will.

Ingredients:
1 lb skin-on pork belly, cut into 1″ pieces
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
3 bay leaves
2 pieces tangerine peel
2 slices fresh ginger
1 tbsp sugar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water until soft, saving the water
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
3 tbsps light soy sauce
2 tbsps dark soy sauce
3 hardboiled eggs, peeled

1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, add the pork. First in one layer all smooshed in. Make them sweat. They will render fat right away. Mix them a couple of times to avoid stickiness and then you can add the rest of the pork belly and do the same for the other batch, with the already heated pieces on top. Continue to mix them to keep rendering fat and to avoid them from sticking to the bottom.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the eggs. Include the mushroom water. Stir a little to incorporate everything together. The pork will render more water when you pressurize, so no need to worry about any burns.
3. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 20 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
4. Switch back to the sauté function and stir everything just to make sure flavors have melded. Season with salt if necessary. Serve with steamed white rice and top with the eggs cut in half.