Why This Recipe Works

Overnight Magic: The slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you ring in the new year—no 3 a.m. alarms required.
Double Glaze System: A gentle honey lacquer halfway through cooking, then a final high-heat broil for sticky, mahogany edges.
Balanced Sweet-Savory: Tamari, rice wine, and five-spice keep the honey from cloying; the result tastes like Chinatown char siu meets Southern new-year luck.
Economical Elegance: Pork belly costs a fraction of prime rib yet plates like a five-star hotel brunch entrée.
Customizable Heat: Add chili flakes for a spicy year or keep it mild for the kids—both versions disappear.
Leftover Gold: Tuck cold slices into bao, ramen, or even scrambled eggs for the most decadent January 2nd breakfast.

Ingredients You'll Need

Each component here pulls its weight. Buy the best pork belly you can find—pasture-raised if possible—and ask your butcher to leave the skin on but scored. Skin-on gives you the option of crackling later, while scoring helps the fat render and the glaze penetrate every pocket of meat.

How to Make New Year's Day Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Pork Belly

Dry Brine for Maximum Flavor

Pat pork belly dry with paper towels. Mix 1 Tbsp kosher salt with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. Rub all over, including the skin side. Place on a wire rack set inside a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered 30–60 minutes. This brief brine seasons the meat and dries the surface so the glaze will cling later.

Whisk the Honey Base

In a 2-cup glass measure, whisk honey, tamari, rice wine, five-spice, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper until silky. Reserve ¼ cup of this liquid for finishing; pour the rest into the slow-cooker insert.

Aromatics & Nest

Scatter smashed garlic, ginger coins, and two trimmed scallions on the bottom. These create a natural raft so meat doesn’t stick and infuse the sauce simultaneously.

Low & Slow Overnight

Place pork belly skin-side up on the aromatics. Cover and cook on LOW 7–8 hours. The meat should yield like warm butter when pressed; if your cooker runs hot, start checking at 6 hours.

First Glaze Coat

Carefully lift the pork onto a clean tray. Pour cooking liquid through a strainer into a saucepan; skim fat (or chill 10 min and lift solid fat). Simmer 10 min until reduced by one-third. Stir in reserved ¼ cup honey base for shine.

Broil for Sticky Edges

Heat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from element. Brush pork liberally with glaze. Broil 3–5 min, rotating once, until bubbles turn mahogany. Repeat brushing and broiling for a second layer if you crave candied edges.

Rest & Slice

Tent loosely with foil 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into ½-inch planks, then again into 2-inch batons for easy chopstick grabbing. Drizzle with remaining warm glaze.

Garnish & Serve

Scatter thinly sliced scallion greens and a snow of toasted sesame seeds. Present on a warm platter with steamed rice, quick-pickled cukes, and a side of lucky black-eyed peas for a New-Year table that guarantees applause.

Expert Tips

Skin-On vs Skin-Off

If you crave crackling, score skin, dry overnight, and broil skin-up at the very end. Otherwise, remove skin after cooking for silken slices.

Fat-Skim Hack

Pour hot cooking liquid into a metal loaf pan; freeze 10 min. Fat solidifies in a sheet you can lift off cleanly.

Double Batch Bonus

Two bellies fit in a 6-qt cooker; increase glaze by 50%. Freeze sliced leftovers flat in glaze—reheat in steamer for 5 min and it’s just-made fresh.

Make-Ahead Brunch

Cook fully, chill in glaze, then rewarm covered at 300°F for 20 min. Saves 30 minutes of morning chaos with sleepy guests.

Variations to Try

Storage Tips

Refrigerate cooled slices submerged in glaze up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions in airtight bags with 2 Tbsp glaze per serving up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then rewarm gently at 300°F or in a steamer basket to preserve moisture. Do not microwave on high; honey will scorch and toughen the edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Slow cookers never reach the 400°F+ needed for crackling. After overnight cooking, transfer skin-on belly to a sheet pan, brush lightly with oil, and broil 6–8 min for bubbles. Watch closely; honey glaze burns fast.

Skinless belly works; the surface will lacquer beautifully. Reduce initial salt by ½ tsp since you won’t discard salty skin later.

Yes—use a 2–2.5 lb piece and keep glaze quantities identical; the extra sauce is gold over rice. Cooking time remains 7–8 hours on LOW.

Modern slow cookers are designed for all-night cooking. Ensure insert is ½–¾ full, lid sealed, and unit sits on a heat-safe surface away from towels.

Insert a fork; it should slide in with zero resistance. Internal temp will be 200–205°F—perfect for collagen breakdown and fork-tender texture.

Yes. Cook on HIGH pressure 60 min with natural release 15 min, then proceed with glaze and broil. Flavor equals the slow version, but you lose the magical overnight aroma.

New Year's Day Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Pork Belly