Asian Style Braised Pork....bits

Asian Style Braised Pork....bits

What is not to love about pork. In particular, pork belly. It may sound unappealing, but essentially it is just bacon that has not reached maturity.  Pork tongue on the other hand may be off-putting for some. Many people have issue with it. After all, it is the only food that can taste you back, but it isn't that scary. Really, its not! I swear! You can trust me.  It's a muscle, like any other cut of meat. Cooked right it is tender, delicious and you cannot tell it apart from other cuts. If you are still not going for it....a small pork roast will work in it's stead. 

This is a weekend fix it and forget  it meal. It takes a lot of time and very little effort. If you want to make a dish that looks like you have slaved all day, tastes like a fancy restaurant made it and took you a total of 10 minutes to prep and get on the stove. Then this is the dish for you.

Even serving this is simple. This is a great dish for making lettuce wraps with. I serve it with a bit of homemade kimchi (see recipe here) and rice.Wrap it in a lettuce leaf and off you go.

Ingredients:

Mirin, 1c

Sake ½ c

Shoyu (Soy Sauce) ½ c

Garlic 2tbs pureed

Ginger 1 tbs pureed

Honey 1 tbs

Gochujang 1.5 tbs (optional spice element. This is a Korean Fermented Chili Paste)

Raw sugar 2 tbs

Water ½ cup

Pork belly (replace with pork roast if preferable but I am telling you, its nothing but un-cured bacon!)

Pork Tongue (replace with pork roast if preferable)

Directions:

Place all ingredients except the meat in a medium pot, whisk together. Add meat, cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Check and baste whenever you think about it. You might need to add a bit of water now and then to keep the liquid level up. Remove from heat and let rest 10 min. in cooking liquid.  Slice thin and serve. Simple huh?