Pork Belly Bites with a Sticky Gluhwein Glaze

Sticky pork belly bites wrapped in a gluhwein-inspired, red wine & brown sugar glaze flavoured with cloves, cinnamon, mace, & star anise.

This is a slowly cooked recipe that takes around 2 hours to cook, but only around 20 minutes of that time involves you working in the kitchen.

Mulled Wine Pork Belly Chunks

I adore pork belly, a cheaper cut of meat that is only rivalled by the pork knuckle when it comes to flavour, as far as I am concerned!

It is outstanding simply roasted like my pork belly strips or my slow roast pork belly joint.

Thanks to its huge flavour, it is equally adept at sitting alongside bold sauces and glazes, it absolutely sings in my Indonesian babi chin and Vietnamese pork belly recipes.

This recipe does that with flavours from every European-themed Christmas market around the world.

Whether you call it glühwein, mulled wine, forralt bor or glögg, the taste and aroma are quintessentially winter!

These pork belly bites fill your house with that aroma, and the sticky brown sugar glaze doubles down on the flavour.

We have mace, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon all mingling in the sweet and sticky glaze.

The technique I use to prepare this pork is identical to my sticky pineapple pork belly recipe and similar to my salt and pepper pork belly recipe. Those recipes have a video, so click through and take a look if you need some help.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of pork belly should I buy?

As I have mentioned, I love pork belly and buy it in big slabs and then cut it up into portions.

You are likely much better off speaking to a butcher about a nice piece of pork belly rather than your supermarket.

However, if you hunt around, you can find thick-cut pork belly strips in some supermarkets that will work well in this recipe. Aldi and Lidl seem to be about the best that I have found in the UK.

What sort of red wine should I use?

The red wine you choose for these pork belly cubes should be a decent drinking wine. But don't go wild with something expensive!

I personally favour a Syrah/Shiraz, but a Merlot would work well.

Do I have to use red wine vinegar?

I like to use red wine vinegar to keep the whole thing neat and tidy on the flavour front.

However, this recipe works just as well with white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar. It exists to provide a sour counterpoint to the sweetness and does not impart a huge flavour.

Can I make these in advance?

Yes, these are fine sat in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them gently in a pan with a splash of water.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this recipe with some perfectly cooked salty potatoes.

Either crispy fried potatoes, straw potatoes or some potato wedges, as pictured here, work wonderfully against the sweet and sour sticky glaze. As do my wonderful cheesy polenta chips, you must check them out!

They even work well with a Waldorf salad, just be sure to scale back on the dressing on the salad to avoid things getting a bit icky.

But these gluhwein pork belly bites also make the perfect communal appetiser or canape.

You can make them up in advance and keep them warm or reheat them.

Then serve them slightly warmed on cocktail sticks with a sharp cheddar cheese for a spectacular party nibble.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• 28cm or 11" heavy-based frying pan or skillet.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Citrus Zester.
• Sieve or colander.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.