Dry Fried Pork Shreds

Ingredients:

11 –12 oz pork shoulder, boneless rib, or loin, sliced into shreds, 1/8” x 2” x 1/8”;

1 or 2 fresh red chilis, seeded and slivered;

4 spring onion, white portion 2” segments, and quartered lengthwise, green portion shredded 2” long for garnish;

1 or 2 large sweet red peppers, shred same as pork;

3 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water, squeezed, marinated in soy, sugar, wine;

3 large garlic cloves, sliced;

1”by 1 “ pc ginger, sliced thin.

Sauce:

2 Tab soy;

2 tsp Sugar;

2 Tab Shao Xing Wine or dry sherry;

2 tsp Rice wine vinegar.

Preparation:

Marinate pork in a splash of soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch. On medium high heat, stir-fry the meat in about 4 Tab peanut oil for several minutes--as much as 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the cut size of the meat--until well-browned; remove with slotted spoon or strainer and set aside. Add more oil if necessary, and stir-fry the ginger, light sections of green onion (reserve dark green sections) and slivered chilis until 1 or 2 minutes, then add the sweet red pepper, garlic slices and stir-fry until all ingredients are browned; toss in mushroom and dark green onion segments. Add sauce and stir-fry all ingredients until it no longer puddles in the bottom of the wok.

Platter and garnish with sesame oil and carrot slivers.

Red Braised Lion's Head

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ground pork;

4 TAB water;

8 water chestnuts, large mince;

3 scallions, minced;

3 tsp ginger, minced;

2 tsp sesame oil;

1 TAB sherry;

1/2 tsp salt;

2 - 3 TAB sornstarch for dredging pork balls;

3 or 4 TAB peanut oil;

2 TAB dark soy;

2 TAB light soy;

20 oz napa cabbage, root end trimmed, leaves separated;

2 tsp brown sugar;

1 1/4 cup chicken stoc.

Preparation:

Make a potato flour slurry (equal parts water and starch, appx 2/3 tsp each; you can also use cornstarch, though it will not result in as gelatinous a sauce) 

Combine pork and water. Mix meat in one direction, and keep mixing until it is somewhat fluffy and cohered, a few minutes; add large mince chestnuts, minced scallion, minced ginger, sesame oil, sherry and salt; mix well and form into 5 large meat balls approx 6 oz each, 2 1/2" to 3" diameter. 

Dust meatballs in cornstarch and remove excess--set aside. 

Heat wok with 3 TAB peanut oil over medium heat; when wok oil is just barely smoking, add meat balls one at a time and fry, rolling and turning very gently, until slightly firm and browned. Remove. 

Clean wok, heat to medium, add 6 Tablespoons of water, put in cabbage leaves, cover and steam 5 minutes or so until leaves are flexible. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. 

Line sand pot (sha guo) or small casserole with 2/3 of the cabbage; gently add the five meatballs, then pour in chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauces. Lay remaining cabbage over meat, cover and braise balls for 1 1/2 hours on top of stove. 

When done and cool enough to handle, carefully remove Lion's heads to a plate. On the service platter, arrange braised cabbage in a circular pattern; arrange meatballs in the center. Reduce braising liquid to desired flavor intensity and add stream of slurry until liquid is thickened, coats spoon thickly, but still runs. Pour over Lions head, garnish with slivered green onion or slivered carrot.

Hong Shao Rou

Ingredients:

3 round Tab sugar;

3 cups chicken stock, low sodium;

2 - 2" x 1/4" pc cinnamon;

2 star anise;

2 cloves garlic, smashed;

3 1" x 2" slices of ginger, skin on;

1/3 cup soy;

1/4 cup Shao Xing wine or dry sherry;

1 TAB dark soy;

2 lbs pork belly, lean and fat, skin on, cut into sections approx 4" x 4".

Preparation:

In enough water to just cover the pork, poach belly in simmering water (“cuan” 汆) for 4 minutes or so, then remove. When the pork has cooled enough to handle, cut into cubes appx. 1 1/2" x 2" and in two batches, brown in a hot wok or cast iron skillet with 3 or 4 Tab peanut oil or lard. Be careful, this entails lots of spattering…Remove and set aside. In the same pan, on med heat, add the sugar and stir until melted and beginning to caramelize. Add back in the pork belly pieces, and toss until coated and further browned with caramelized sugar.

Transfer the pork and residual oil/sugar mixture to a 3 -4 quart sand pot or sauce pan; add the chicken stock to cover pork pieces, cinnamon, star anise, garlic, ginger, light soy, wine, and dark soy. Bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for approximately 1 hour, until pork lean layers are tender but still moist. As soon as meat is done, remove meat and boil to reduce sauce. When liquid has reduced to desired consistency, turn off heat. Return pork belly to the pot and mix to coat; serve in sandpot or plate with garnish of cilantro and carrot or red pepper slivers

Perfect Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cups olive oil 

1⁄3 cup soy sauce 

1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar 

juice of 1 lemon 

1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 

2 tsp dry mustard;

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 

1 1-lb. pork tenderloin

Preparation: 

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place the pork tenderloin and marinade in a Ziplock bag and let marinate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes until good, golden color is reached. Place in a baking dish lined with tin foil. Dump majority of the marinade over top of the tenderloin then put in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Crockpot Barbeque Ribs

Ingredients:

3 lbs. pork or beef ribs;

1 cup beef broth;

1 t Worcestershire sauce;

salt and pepper;

1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

Preparation:

Rub ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Place ribs standing upright in the crockpot. Mix together beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and pour over ribs. Pour barbecue sauce over ribs. Cook on low for about 6 hours. You’ll know they’re perfect when you go to pull a bone out and it pops right off. Serve with additional barbeque sauce for dipping.

Kansas City Style Pork Back Ribs

Ingredients:

3 slabs pork back ribs;

1/2 cup sugar;

1/4 cup paprika;

3 tablespoons seasoned salt; 

2 tablespoons chili powder;

2 tablespoons black pepper; ground;

1 tablespoon celery salt;

1 tablespoon onion powder;

1 tablespoon garlic powder;

2 teaspoons ground sage;

1 teaspoon dry mustard;

1 cup barbecue sauce; 1 cup of your favorite;

1/2 cup honey.

Preparation:

In pint-jar with tight-fitting lid, combine sugar, paprika, seasoned salt, chili powder, black pepper, celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground sage and dry mustard. Place lid on jar and shake jar to combine thoroughly. Set spice rub aside. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

In small saucepan over low heat, stir together barbecue sauce and honey. Heat through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Set barbecue glaze aside, keep warm or at room temperature before using. (If storing for more than 2 hours, cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently before using).

Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with spice rub, using about 4-6 tablespoons for each slab of ribs. Grill over indirect heat in a covered grill or smoker for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn ribs once during cooking, about halfway through. Ribs are done when the meat is very tender (insert a paring knife between ribs to determine); they will pull apart fairly easily. About 20 minutes before ribs are done, baste heavily with barbecue glaze. If you like your ribs extra sticky, baste again 10 minutes before removing from the grill.