We’ve just come back from a bank holiday weekend in York with a few rhubarb roots to grow in our garden. Of course, I couldn’t resist trimming off the fresh stalks and thinking about how to use them. While rhubarb crumble is always tempting, this time I wanted something savoury. With pork belly strips waiting in my fridge, the answer was clear – Five-Spice Pork Belly with Rhubarb Sauce.
This dish combines tender, juicy pork belly marinated in aromatic five-spice with a tangy-sweet rhubarb sauce that balances out the richness perfectly. It’s a comforting yet refreshing twist, perfect for a weeknight dinner at home.
Inspiration from Vietnamese Cooking
If you’ve tried my Five-Spice Pork Shoulder Steak recipe, you’ll notice some similarities in the preparation. But instead of paring the grilled pork with the traditional sweet and sour nước chấm, this time the pork belly is served with a bold rhubarb sauce – sweet, sour and savoury all at once. It’s perfect seasonal combination.
Marinating the five-spice pork belly
The secret to getting juicy and flavourful pork belly is the marinade. For this Five-Spice Pork Belly with Rhubarb Sauce, I use a simple mix of:
- Ground pepper
- Garlic granules
- Onion granules
- Honey
- Fish sauce
- Five-spice powder
- Oyster sauce
- Olive oil
Once combined, coat the pork belly strips generously and let them marinate for at least a couple of hours – ideally overnight for maximum flavour.
Grilling the Pork Belly
I like to cook the pork belly in the air fryer, which gives it a lovely char while keeping it moist inside. Arrange the strips in a single layer, brush lightly with olive oil and fry at 190-200°C. Cook for 10 minutes on one side, flip, brush with a little more oil and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant.
The result? Juicy, melt-in-the-mouth pork belly with a caramelised five-spice crust.
Making the rhubarb sauce
The star of this dish is the rhubarb sauce. It’s simple but powerful, cutting through the richness of the pork belly beautifully. Here’s how I make it:
- Chop the rhubarb stalks in 2-3cm pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onions and garlic until fragrant and golden.
- Add the rhubarb, orange juice, soy sauce and honey.
- Pour in just enough water to cover the rhubarb.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the rhubarb breaks down into a sauce.
The sauce should be tangy with a hint of sweetness, perfect alongside the rich pork belly.
Serving suggestions
To serve, spoon a generous layer of rhubarb sauce onto a plate, top with slices of grilled pork belly and serve with steamed jasmine rice. I also made quick stir-fry with broccoli, courgette, mushrooms and red peppers to balance out the meal with extra colour and freshness.
Every bite of this Five-Spice Pork Belly with Rhubarb Sauce is satisfying. The fragrant, juicy pork paired with the tangy rhubarb creates a delicious contrast that feels both indulgent and refreshing.
Why you’ll love this dish
- Perfect way to use fresh rhubarb in a savoury recipe.
- Combines aromatic Asian spices with seasonal British produce.
- Quick and easy to cook in an air fryer.
- Balanced with vegetables and rice for a complete meal.
This Five-Spice Pork Belly Rhubarb Sauce makes a unique and memorable dish that celebrates both Vietnamese flavours and British seasonal ingredients.
Five-Spice Pork Belly with Rhubarb Sauce
Description
This Five-Spice Pork Belly with Rhubarb Sauce is a unique fusion dish that brings together fragrant Asian spices and seasonal British produce. The juicy pork belly is marinated in aromatic five-spice and air-fried until golden, while the rhubarb is cooked down into a sweet-sour sauce that perfectly cuts through the richness. A delicious and satisfying meal that celebrates the best of both worlds.
Ingredients
For the Pork Belly
For the Rhubarb Sauce
To Serve
Instructions
-
Marinate the Pork Belly
- In a large bowl, combine pepper, garlic granules, onion granules, honey, fish sauce, five-spice powder, oyster sauce and olive oil.
- Coat the pork belly strips and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
-
Cook the Pork Belly
- Arrange pork belly strips in a single layer in your air fryer basket, brush with oil.
- Cook at 190-200°C for 10 minutes.
- Flip, bush with more oil and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant.
-
Make the Rhubarb Sauce
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Sauté onions and garlic until golden.
- Add rhubarb, orange juice, soy sauce and honey.
- Pour in enough water to just cover the rhubarb.
- Bring to the boil then reduce to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the rhubarb breaks down into a sauce.
- Adjust sweetness if needed.
-
Serve
- Plate with steamed rice, a bed of rhubarb sauce and slices of pork belly.
- Add stir-fried vegetables on the side for a balanced meal.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 1026.77kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 97.6g151%
- Saturated Fat 33.47g168%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 120mg40%
- Sodium 944.48mg40%
- Potassium 611.14mg18%
- Total Carbohydrate 20.48g7%
- Dietary Fiber 2.22g9%
- Sugars 14.98g
- Protein 17.52g36%
- Vitamin A 10.94 mcg
- Vitamin C 18.77 mg
- Calcium 88.15 mg
- Iron 1.42 mg
- Vitamin D 0 mcg
- Vitamin E 2.15 mg
- Vitamin K 24.12 mcg
- Thiamin 0.7 mg
- Riboflavin 0.46 mg
- Niacin 8.38 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.32 mg
- Folate 19.87 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.44 mcg
- Phosphorus 210.88 mg
- Magnesium 34.57 mg
- Zinc 1.92 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Marinating time: the longer you marinate the pork belly, the better for the flavour. Overnight in the fridge gives the meat a deeper five-spice aroma.
- Cooking method: I've used an air fryer for convenience but you can also grill the pork belly under a hot oven grill for a similar effect.
- Rhubarb tip: taste your rhubarb sauce towards the end, some stalks are more sour than others. Adjust the sweetness with a little extra honey if needed.
- Storage: Leftover pork belly keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven to crisp it back up. The rhubarb sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.
