Sticky Pork

BBQ | spring onion | pepper

 
 

#Story
Time

BELLY, BELLY, Belly,
Belly, Belly, Belly…

Man, We love Pork Belly! It’s one of our favourite cuts of meat!

Cam fell in love with Pork Belly when he was a Commis Chef. At this point in time he had very little knowledge about cooking. His Sous Chef Shaun taught him how to prepare it: take out the ribs, remove the tendons, take off the skin, and how to cook it. Press, portion and recook with precision. Cam says a big ‘Cheers Shaun!’

Funnily enough Pork Belly was the first ‘fancy’ food I fell in love with too. It was well before I met Cam. I always thought I was a good cook even though no one had ever taught me. I just figured that since every dish I tried to pull together seemed to taste reasonably good that I just had a natural talent for it. My ego can get a bit carried away sometimes! The truth is I do have a pretty good pallet but no clue about cooking! Probably because I love to eat!

Up until I was about 25, I just used to stick to the same 5 dishes: Sausage & Mash; Mac n Cheese; Spag Bol; Pasta Bake; and my Creme de’ le Creme Fajitas! Real healthy diet! My mates used to come around, and me feeling all fancy being the first one of us to get a flat, used to offer them dinner each week of always these exact dishes. Somehow they’re still by my side.

Anyway, back to the Pork Belly! I was trying to serenade my partner at the time with a banging Christmas dinner. I decided I’d do Pork Belly with a Jack Daniels Sauce. I remember getting the cut of meat, already prepped and packaged, scored the top of it, gave it a good massage and seasoned it with a complete mixture of nonsense. The top of the meat looked liked a Christmas tree still by the bins at the end of January. I almost finished a whole bottle of Jack Daniels trying to do an apple concoction that I kept calling a compote. Somehow, about 8 hours later, I managed to kind of pull it together. The meat was about half the size, the crackling could of broke your teeth and the veg was completely cremated. I was still pretty proud of myself.

Cam asked me when me met what was the best dish I’d ever made, and I told him about my banging Pork I made for Christmas, “Prepped the whole meat myself, perfectly cooked everything with the tastiest Jack Daniels compote to go with it!” At the time I either figured there was no way he’d ever realise I was talking shit or more to the point was a bit naive and still thought I was the most fabulous cook.

Jade x

 

Junk’s Jam:

Serves 2-4

Hey!

This recipe takes a bit of time to prepare so start a good bit of time ahead. the initial pressing of the pork is important so that you get a nice flat press so that the meat doesn’t spring and you can cut it evenly.

it’s meaty, fatty, soft, crispy, Melt in the mouth - Truly Amazing. Everything you want in a braised meat.

the char sui Marinade and resulting sauce really accentuates the texture of the meat. If you do not enjoy this one, you most certainly have a problem! 

Equipment…

>Blender
>Sieve
>Pastry Brush
>Roasting Tray
>Bamboo Skewers

The Recipe

Stage #1
>The Prep

Pork Belly & Marinade

1kg Pork Belly, Skin Removed, Ribs Removed
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Red Birdseye Chilli
1 Thumb of Ginger
8g Chinese Five Spice
4g White Pepper
2g Sancho Pepper
15g Tomato Paste
30g Super Deluxe Soy Sauce
45g Dark Soy Sauce
35g Sake
100g Ketcap Manis
15g Sesame Oil
80g Honey
150g Water

Tin Foil
Greaseproof Paper

  • To make the marinade, place all of the ingredients, apart from the Pork Belly, into a blender and blitz until fully broken down and liquid. 

  • In a deep roasting tray, pour the liquid over the Pork Belly making sure it’s fully submerged. Cover the tray with two layers of Tin Foil and leave to marinade for an hour before placing in the oven. 

  • Slow cook the Pork Belly for 12 hours at the temperature of 115ºc on the middle shelf.

  • Take out the oven, remove the Tin Foil and pour the sauce into a small pot to reserve for later! 

  • Press the Belly using Greaseproof Paper and an equally sized roasting tray on top. Add a heavy weight onto the tray (a couple of big books should do the trick). Leave to press in the fridge for at least 3 hours before portioning. 

 
 

Char Sui Sauce

The Marinade You Made Earlier!

  • Add your reserved Marinade into a pan. On a medium to high heat, reduce by half or until thick and sticky. Pass through a fine sieve.

 
 

Garnish 

1 Red Pepper
2 Spring Onions (Tops only)

  • Very finley chop the Red Pepper making sure you remove all the white pith and seeds.

  • At an angle, finely chop the green part of the Spring Onion.

Stage #2
>Cook it baby!

 

  • Pre heat the oven to 180ºc.

  • Cut the Pork into 1.5cm cubes and place 4 cubes on each skewer.

  • Put your Sauce back onto the stove and heat it up. 

  • Get a frying pan roasting hot with a little trickle of Oil and cook the Belly Skewers on each side until charred.

  • Place in the oven and dredge some of the Sauce over each skewer. Cook for 5 mins.

Stage #3
>Assemble