How to Make Humba or Braise Pork Belly | Cooking Humba at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Braised Pork Belly

Humba or braised pork belly is a popular dish in Filipino and Chinese cuisine. It is a rich and flavorful dish that is made by simmering pork belly in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and other spices until the meat is tender and succulent. This dish is typically served with steamed rice and can be enjoyed as a main course or as part of a larger meal. With its savory and sweet flavor profile, Humba has become a beloved comfort food for many people, and is a must-try for anyone looking to explore the delicious world of Asian cuisine.

Humba or Braise Pork Belly Recipe
Philippine Cuisine
Ingredients: serve 6
4 cups water, enough to cover pork
2 kg whole pork belly(liempo)
8 cloves garlic
¾ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup soy sauce
¾ cup vinegar(white, sugar, or cane, coconut)
2 tbsp salted black beans(tausi)
2 tbsp soybean paste(tajure)
¾ cup brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
½ cup peanuts, skin on

Preparation:
Marination overnight (optional)

In a pot, bring water to boil. Add pork and par boil for 10 minutes. Reserve the broth and cool before placing in the chiller.

Trim the sides of the pork and remove the portions with thick layers of fat.

Cut the pork into 7.5 x 7.5cm or 3 square.

With a sharp knife, carefully score the skin side of each portion making crisscross slits measuring approximately 1 cm in a part and 1/2 cm in deep.

Crush, peel and mince garlic.

In a bowl, combine the garlic, ground black pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, salted black beans, soybean paste, brown sugar, bay leaves, star anise, and peanuts. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Place the pork into the mixture and marinate overnight in the chiller.

An hour before cooking, remove the bowl with the marinate pork and the reserved broth from the chiller.

Remove the layer of fat that has formed on top of the reserve broth.

Cooking:
Place pork with the marinade in a pot. Add the reserve broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 2 – 3 hours or until fork tender the pork should be very tender after cooking so that the fat on top jiggles. End.