Braised pork belly "Fallout" style

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1.2 kg belly bacon
• 3 tbsp cane sugar
• Water
• 240 ml sake
• 240 ml fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 liter chicken broth
• 7 cm fresh ginger, whole, peeled
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick(s)
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 1 pinch(s) of cayenne pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 15 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes

Pork belly with hoisin sauce, from the game Fallout

Place the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Skim off any foam that may form on the surface. Remove the bacon from the water and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the brown sugar and 180 ml water in a large, heatproof saucepan and place on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir until the brown sugar is completely dissolved, then add the bacon to the pan. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan, stir, and gently bring to a simmer. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan/convection oven). Cover the pan with a heatproof lid and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Increase the oven temperature to 190°C (fan/convection oven) and remove the lid. Cook for another 1 hour, stirring regularly every 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest on the stove. Remove approximately 250 ml of sauce from the pot, pour it into a smaller pot, and heat over high heat. Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens. Add the bacon pieces to the reduced sauce and serve. Serve with white rice and stir-fried vegetables. The remaining sauce can also be frozen and used in other dishes; it has a wonderfully flavorful flavor.