Pork Belly Skewers with Asian Chile Sauce

Pork Belly Skewers with Asian Chile Sauce

 

Ingredients:

 

 

For brine:

-2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted

-4 tsp coriander seeds, toasted

-1 gallon water

-1 1/3 cups kosher salt

-2/3 cup sugar

-3 (4-5 inch) fresh red chilies, thinly sliced

-1 tbsp. black peppercorns

-2 shallots, sliced

-3 garlic cloves, smashed

 

For pork belly:

-3 lbs. pork belly, skin discarded

-2 tbsp. vegetable oil

-1 medium onion, cut into 6 wedges

-1 head of garlic, left unpeeled and halved crosswise

-2 shallots, halved lengthwise

-2 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

 

For Chile sauce:

-2 tbsp. Asian fish sauce

-1 cup grated palm sugar or light brown sugar

-1/4 cup fresh lime juice

-1/4 cup rice vinegar

-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

-4 (3 inch) fresh red chilies, chopped

-6 garlic cloves, chopped

 

Equipment:

-20-30 (4-6 inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

 

 

Directions:

 

Brine pork belly:

Bring all brine ingredients to a boil in a 6-quart pot, then simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Cool brine to room temperature, then chill until cold. In a roasting pan, cover pork belly with brine, then chill  24 hours. Remove pork belly from brine, and rinse under cold water. Pat pork belly dry.

 

Braise pork belly:

Set pressure cooker to sauté setting, heat oil until it shimmers, then cook onion, and shallots, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a  boil, scraping up brown bits. Add pork belly. Cover and lock lid in place. Select high pressure and set timer for 45 minutes. When audible beep sounds, use Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes then use Quick Pressure Release to complete. When float valve drops, turn off. Remove lid, tilting away from you to allow steam to disperse.

Remove pork belly (reserve braising liquid for another use) and cool to room temperature.

Wrap tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and chill, pressed between 2 baking sheets with a weight (such as four 28 ounce cans) on top, 2-4 hours.

 

Make chile sauce:

Puree all sauce ingredients in a blender.

 

Skewer pork belly:

Bring pork belly to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 1 inch strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 1/3 inch-wide pieces. Thread 2 or 3 pieces onto a skewer and brush with chile sauce.

 

Prepare grill:

If using a gas grill, preheat all burners on high 10 minutes, then adjust heat to medium high.

 

Grill pork belly:

Oil grill rack, then grill pork belly, turning occasionally and basting with chile sauce once more, until well browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes total. Brush with more chile sauce to serve.

 

 

 

Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder with Vegetables

 

Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder with Vegetables

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

 

-2.5 pounds of pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

-1 tbsp. coarse kosher salt

-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

-1 medium white onion, chopped

-1 large carrot, chopped

-1 large celery stalk, chopped

-1/4 pound pancetta, chopped

-2 cups dry white wine

-2 cups whole milk

-2 (28 oz.) cans plum tomatoes in juice, pureed with juice in blender in batches until smooth

 

 

Method

 

Place pork in large bowl. Combine coarse salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle salt mixture over pork, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and chill overnight.

 

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes, whisking often (do not let allow roux to brown). Remove from heat; cover and let stand until ready to use.

 

Chop vegetables. Set pressure cooker on sauté setting, cook pancetta until it begins to brown and fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Add vegetables to pot and sauté until they begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add pork and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil, stirring up browned bits. Add milk and bring to simmer. Add tomato puree, then whisk in roux. Cover and lock lid in place. Select High Pressure and set timer to 50 minutes. When audible beep sounds, use Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes then use Quick Pressure Release to complete. When float valve drops, turn off. Remove lid, tilting away from you to allow steam to disperse. Lastly season with salt and pepper.