Chashu

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Place the pork belly on a clean cutting board and arrange it so the short side is facing you. Tightly roll the belly away from you into a log. Using kitchen string, tightly tie the log at 1-inch intervals, making sure knots are secure so the pork belly doesn’t unroll. Cut any excess string.

2. Step 2

   Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or (5½-quart) Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the pork belly and cook, rotating as needed, until golden all over, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to the cutting board, then discard the oil and wipe up any large bits from the saucepan.

3. Step 3

   Add the sake, soy sauce, sugar and 3 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil over high. Return the pork belly to the pot. Add the negi and ginger, and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover with an otoshi buta, drop lid or cartouche (see Tip) and cook, turning the belly once halfway through cooking, until slightly tender, about 2 hours. Remove from the heat and allow the pork to cool in the cooking liquid before covering and refrigerating overnight or for at least 8 hours.

4. Step 4

   The next day, transfer the pork to a cutting board and remove and discard the string, then thinly slice into ¼-inch rounds. Remove and discard the fat solids from the cooking liquid, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, discarding any additional solids. Save the leftover cooking liquid for another use. Store chashu in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

5. Step 5

   When ready to eat the chashu, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high and cook the rounds in batches, flipping once, until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes. (Alternatively, heat 1½ cups of the strained stock in a large skillet over medium. Add the slices and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.)