Japanese-Style Pork Belly Rice Bowl (Butadon)
A savory, soul-satisfying Japanese pork belly bowl made quick with the magic of yakiniku sauce. Perfectly seared, tender pork and caramelized onions over steamed rice.
Butadon, or Japanese pork bowl, is the ultimate weeknight comfort food. It relies on the robust, umami-rich profile of yakiniku sauce to transform simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal in minutes. This version highlights the technique of rendering the pork belly fat to achieve a golden, crisp texture that pairs perfectly with sweet, tender onions.
Ingredients
- 250 g pre-sliced pork belly
- 0.5 yellow onion
- 4 tbsp yakiniku sauce
- 1 bowl cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- 1Prepare the onion
Place half a yellow onion on a cutting board and cut it into thin, uniform strips. These will be stir-fried to add a savory sweetness to the pork bowl.
Tip: Cut against the grain to help the onion strips hold their shape while cooking. - 2Sear the pork belly
Heat a small amount of oil in a flat pan over medium-low heat. Add the pre-sliced pork belly slices in a single layer to ensure even cooking.
Tip: Use medium-low heat to render the fat from the pork belly without burning the meat. - 3Brown the pork
Continue to cook the pork belly slices until the bottom sides are golden brown. Use chopsticks or tongs to flip each piece to brown the other side thoroughly.
Tip: Achieving a nice golden-brown crust adds flavor and texture to the final dish. - 4Stir-fry the onions
Remove the cooked pork from the pan and set aside. In the remaining oil, add the onion strips and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until they become fragrant and translucent.
Tip: The leftover pork fat in the pan adds extra flavor to the onions. - 5Combine ingredients
Return the seared pork belly slices back into the pan with the translucent onions. Toss everything together briefly to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Tip: Keep the heat low at this stage to prevent the meat from overcooking. - 6Season with sauce
Pour the yakiniku sauce over the pork and onions in the pan. Stir thoroughly until all the meat and onions are well-coated and the sauce has heated through.
Tip: Make sure to shake the yakiniku sauce bottle well before pouring to combine all the ingredients.
