Pig Tails. Asian Marinade, Braised and Roasted

nose to TAIL

we're talkin' PIG TAILS...

PHAT ! FATTY fabulous !

done them before (BBQ Style HERE) and i'll do them again.  this not for the weak, diet conscious, cholesterol high, tenderloin pansy palate bacon only-vegetarians.

THIS IS FOR THE, NOSE-TO-TAILERS, SNOOTER TO THE TOOTERS,  TIP-TO-TOE AND EVERYTHING INBETWEENERS

not what you'd expect them to look like ?...

NO, they aren't those cute little curly things on adorable little baby piggies you see in cartoons.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY QUITE UGLY
BUT...TO THE PORK LOVER AND TRUE "NOSE-TO-TAILER" THESE ARE A BEAUTIFUL THING.
porky, meaty, unctuous and fatty.

Shhhh....pig tails are still a CHEAP cut of the pig.
4 lbs. for about 6 bucks !

i just cooked the PIG SNOUTS in a Spicy Mexican Chipotle Adobo so i thought i would go Asian-style with these.  i thew together this marinade.  it worked very well for the braise and dipping sauce as well.  use whatever marinade you see fit, i'm sure it will be as tasty as ever with all this porky fatty goodness that comes together after hours of cooking.

MARINADE

1/2 cup soy

1/4 cup honey

2 big Tbsp brown sugar

juice 1 orange

zest pieces from 1/2 orange, use a potato peeler

6-7 thin slices of ginger

1 scallion, sliced

3 cloves smashed garlic

3 inch piece of smashed lemon grass

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

heat this in a small pot for a few minutes to get the flavors together and let it cool to room temp before pouring into bag of tails.  don't forget to do a taste test.
i had too many tails for 1 bag AND not quite enough marinade.  this was 4 lbs. of tails!!!  i split the contents and i had to substitute in a little Soy Vay Hoisin Garlic Sauce/Marinade.

seal the bag with as little air as possible, put into a pan to prevent leakage and place in the fridge over night.  try to turn the bag if you're up and about.

INTO THE OVEN FOR BRAISING

put in oven proof dish that will fit all the tails.  add marinade and liquid tails were in.  if it doesn't seen like enough you can add some stock, but as you can see i might have had just 1/2 inch of liquid...that worked great.  i would have used a huge cast iron dutch oven with a lid, but it was just too big so i put them in a pyrex glass dish in one layer.  i will probably have to check on them every hour to make sure the braise liquid is still there.

cover TIGHT with aluminum foil and they are ready for the 300-320 F oven
APPROX. 3-3 1/2 HOURS WILL DO IT

i started the oven at 320 F, but didn't realize it was on convection.  after an hour i peeked...they were already getting a lovely golden brown.  i turned convection OFF and lowered to 300 F for another hour.  the last hour was down to 280 F (i had to go to the sore and didn't want to over do it)
they should be done when you can easily pull a piece of the bone from the meat.

seriously...i could not stop eating them straight out of the dish.  i might have over done it on my PHAT quota for the week.

once again, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.  i packed some away with the delicious braising liquid for another application...something with pickled slaw, kimchi?, noodles...
or maybe a pulled pig tail banh mi ?

You have read this article low and slow / odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary / pork / tails. braise with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2014/03/pig-tails-asian-marinade-braised-and.html. Thanks!

Slow Roasted Bone-in Pork Butt with CRISPY SKIN Fat Cap

"A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS"

but i'll add a few more...

slow roasted, unctuous fall-off-the-bone tender, pull apart pork butt-shoulder-picnic roast.

COMPLETELY COVERED IN CRISPY SKIN

it might take all day, but it is so worth the wait.  there's not much work to it and it will surely be a big hit at your next gathering.

put this baby in the middle of the table...

say, "ready-set-GO"

I CAN'T PASS UP THE $6.00 - 6 LB. PORK BUTT
i'm a big fan of the 8 hour pork roast while you sleep...

BUT...i found a very interesting and informative post about crispy skin roasted pork shoulder.  same concept with one very important extra step...CRISPY SKIN!  

many thanks to Kenji Lopez at Serious Eats for breaking down the science of "the crispy skin" in a way that most of us can understand.

below is a direct quote and just a snippet of information from   J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.  he is the Chief Creative Officer at SERIOUS EATS.

"When roasting at 375°F, because the dehydrating and protein-setting is taking place at the same time that the connective tissue is breaking down, there's never really a stage when the skin is relatively structure-free. It goes from being firm through connective tissue directly to being firm through dehydration.

On the other hand, after 8 hours in a 250°F oven, the pig skin has very little structural integrity—there's really very little holding it together and it closely resembles a bundle of tiny balloons just waiting to be filled.

How do you fill those balloons? Let heat do the work for you."

please go to the original and read more interesting info on the science behind the slow roast vs higher temp/less time from Kenji at Serious Eats.

SLOW ROASTED BONE-IN PORK BUTT WITH CRISPY SKIN FAT CAP
this slightly adapted recipe is from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at SERIOUS EATS

5 to 6 lb pork shoulder BUTT 

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

cumin

chili powder

Slap Ya Mama Seasoning

2 onions, sliced thick

8-10 cloves garlic

preheat oven to 250F.  prepare a baking dish/roasting pan with extra thick aluminum foil.  lightly oil the aluminum.  i have had one stick to the foil, so now i oil.  lay the onion slices and garlic cloves out for the roast to rest on. 

start with a pork butt bone-in, skin-on...butt should have a "fat-cap".  rinse the meat and dry well with paper towels.  

to score the skin...or not to score the skin...

i chose to score the skin.  as you can see, i did not do a beautiful job, butt i was not going for the "show case shoulder".

there are no exact measurements for the seasoning...just season the whole piece.  i suggest you do this over the sink and rub the seasoning all over.

place the butt on the prepared onion/garlic roasting pan.

put in oven for 7-8 hours.  pork should be done when fork tender.  OR...as the original recipe states...insert a knife.  if you can easily turn the knife around in the meat, you are ready.

remove pork from the oven.
tent and let rest for 20 minutes.

above is what it looks like after 7 1/2 hours at 250F
before crispy skin stage.

CRISPY SKIN STAGE...

crank the oven up to 500F.  you might want to move the cooked butt onto a rack or a clean piece of oiled aluminum foil pan. so as not to burn the onions, garlic and drippings.  put pork in HOT oven and watch for the skin to crisp up.  you might want to rotate the pan a few times for an all over crisp.  watch carefully.  it can go from crisp to burnt in a matter of minutes. 
remove from oven when it is good and bubbly crispy looking.  let rest for 15 minutes and...

DIVE IN!

NOTE...my "butt" was tender, but meaty.  it fell off the bone, but was not oozing-ly juicy.  i was wondering if the super slow roasting renders out more fat than a higher temp.?...or was it that i got a lean butt.  not to worry...

this is FABULOUS...beyond.

sorry to say, i did not have a party of people to serve, but what a show stopper!  i ate my fill of crispy skin and pulled pork... i bet i could have devoured the whole thing, but i put a few large pieces in the fridge wrapped in parchment in a large tupperware.

the next morning i was able to re-crisp the skin and get some lovely slices off the larger chunks.

SO...this saves and serves well for the next few days.  the skin WILL re-crisp (with care) in the toaster oven.

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Crispy Skin Bone-in Pork Belly by Bill Granger

here you are...as promised ...

the 3 to 4 hour PORK BELLY

if you've been following along you probably read about the delicious 3 DAY Pork Belly.  well, this one takes about 3-4 HOURS and it's just as pork-belly-icious!.  

i always say...

"you can't go wrong with pork belly".

this technique produces the ultimate crispy crunchy skin and...

juicy fat dripping tender pork belly.

two things that i had never tried before... cooking a pork belly with the bone in and cooking skin side down for the first few hours. 

for some reason it's a little more expensive with the bone, but that's only about $3.59 a pound.  more money = more delicious?...not a big difference, but the meat next to the bones and the ribs i ate immediately were fall-off-the-bone delicious.

after it was all finished, i removed the bones with a long sharp knife very close to the bones so that slicing the pork belly in serving portions would be much easier.  on Bill's show he was able to slice each portion with bone still attached which made for a nice plate presentation.   his servings looked like unctuous pork chops with belly fat and skin attached, if that makes sense.

here is the link to the recipe from the pork belly show.

the Caramel Vinegar Glaze is delicious as well.  i did not finish the glaze until late night so it didn't make the photo, but do try it.  i think it would go well with just about any pork dish...or chicken.

AND...as far as the skin side down results?... i'm pretty sure i will do it this way from now on...the skin was perfect !!!...extra crispy.

CRISPY SKIN BONE-IN PORK BELLY

with CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE

found HERE from the Cooking Channel

by Bill Granger

3 1/2 lb pork belly with bones
2 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
fresh ground black pepper

score the skin of the pork belly in criss-cross pattern as shown.  rub the salt into the skin and set aside for 30 minutes

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

wipe the salt off of the skin and dry well with a paper towel.  drizzle a large roasting pan with olive oil. as you can see, i lined the pan with tin foil for easier clean up...BAD IDEA.  the skin stuck in some areas where the oil did not meet the skin.  note to self...go for bare naked and deal with the clean up later, it's not all that bad.  anyway...place the pork skin side down on the roasting dish and season the top with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  put in the oven for 30 minutes to sear the skin.  then  reduce the heat to 375F degrees.  continue cooking for another 1 1/2 to 2 (mine was in for about 2 1/2 hours), or until fork tender.  now remove from oven and carefully flip over so it is skin side up.  roast for another 30 minutes or until skin is good and crispy.  you might choose to use the broiler for a moment watching carefully!
remove the pork belly from the oven and let rest for at least 15-20 minutes.

the roast is easiest to cut with the skin side down on the board.  my bones were going the length of the pork belly so i removed them close to the bone.  (NOTE...the meat next to the bone is the chef's secret treasure bites). if your bones are going the width, you can slice a serving with bone attached for plating presentation and maximum enjoyment.

CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE
(not shown, but delicious)

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup good chicken stock
juice from 1 orange,  plus 4 wide strips of orange peel
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

put the sugar, vinegar, star anise and cinnamon in a small sauce pan and cook, stirring over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.  bring to a boil and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until mixture is syrupy.  stir in chicken stock and simmer until slightly reduced.  add the orange juice and peel, reduce the hat to a low simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy.  don't forget to season with salt and pepper when just about done.
NOTE...this took longer than expected.  give yourself 30-45 minutes for a nice syrupy glaze.

above is example of scoring.  my new favorite tool for the job is a razor sharp box cutter.

 above is before oven using tinfoil...bad idea.  don't use tinfoil... and below is after roasting with skin side down.  it should be fork tender at this point.  then it goes in skin side up for the final crisping of the skin.

You have read this article comfort food / fat / low and slow / pork / pork belly with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/04/crispy-skin-bone-in-pork-belly-by-bill.html. Thanks!

Three Day Pork Belly

3 DAYS !?...

is it worth it ?!...

of course it is...
IT'S PORK BELLY !!!

necessary...? i don't know, but good things come to those who wait.

3 DAY PORK BELLY

1st day...dry brine

2.5 - 3 lb pork belly, with skin

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground pepper

rub the pork belly with the brine mixture so it is well coated.  no need to use it all.  place in Ziploc baggie for 24 hours, flipping once in between.. 

2nd day..dry chilled air

wash the belly under cold water and dry with paper towels.  put it in the fridge, open-air, skin exposed over night.

3rd day...slow roast

2 green apple, sliced (not wedges)

1 yellow onion, sliced thick

1 bulb garlic, cut in half

3-4 Tbsp brown sugar

salt sprinkle for skin

when ready to roast, score the skin with a very sharp knife...making a diamond pattern.

line baking dish with heavy aluminum foil for easy clean up.  place sliced apple, onion and halves of garlic bulb on the bottom.  sprinkle some of the brown sugar over.  place belly on top. put a few slices of apple and onion around the exposed sides and sprinkle with more brown sugar.  sprinkle skin with a little salt (salt ONLY on skin).

cover with aluminum foil.

roast at 320F for approx. 4 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

uncover and put oven on broiler setting 420F for approx. 10 minutes...or until the skin gets good and crispy, but watch carefully so as not to burn.  i had to cover parts that were crisping too fast.

remove from oven and let sit to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before serving...slice the roast skin side down on the board for easier slicing through the crispy skin.  at this point you probably won't get a super clean slice, but it sure is good right out of the oven with it's crispy crunchy cracklin' skin.  don't forget to serve with the roasted garlic and onion that is slowly cooked confit-style in the pork fat...YUM

OR what i usually do...let it come to room temp and refrigerate for super clean slices as shown.  slice with skin side down for easier slicing.  warm slices in skillet, toaster oven, or carefully in the microwave "as needed".

AS NEEDED ...
breakfast, lunch AND dinner !

serve as sliders, with a poached egg, hand-to-mouth or with some CANNED SPICED PICKLED PEACHES...posting recipe soon.

NOTES...who knows if the 3 days are necessary.  it's hard to ruin a succulent piece of pork belly...it always turns out unctuous.

BUT...i will be making another one this weekend and i'm going to try a larger slab WITH BONES and it should be done in about 3 HOURS from start to finish.

You have read this article low and slow / pork / pork belly with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/03/three-day-pork-belly.html. Thanks!

Cured Pork Belly Roasted with Apple, Onion and Brown Sugar

PORK BELLY WINS AGAIN.

i go to the Asian market every few weeks just to pick up some fresh tofu and some chili oil...maybe a few sweets for Dad from the bakery next door...

how does that darn pork belly jump into my shopping cart every single time ? !

mmmmm...the pork belly is succulent, the bacon is crispy, the onion and gala apple are caramelized in brown sugar and pork fatty goodness...

HOW DOES ONE RESIST ?

even the nay-sayers will bow to the pork belly...

it's very hard to ruin and it is so versatile.  so many ways to cook and so many ways to present.

you can't go wrong...

THE HEART ATTACK NAPOLEON ?

pork belly stacked with brown sugar-butter sauteed apple topped with caramelized onion.  i hear the sirens approaching.  

defibrillator...CLEAR !

the 1st one was a bit small and only had skin on half...so i covered it with bacon and it was crunchy, smoky, baconie, fatty and delicious

2nd time...bigger slab with more skin/fat, no need for bacon wrap.  i used more apples and brown sugar...yumm.  these apples remained in large enough pieces to serve with the belly.

CURED PORK BELLY ROASTED WITH APPLES ONION AND BROWN SUGAR

CURING THE BELLY

i suppose this could be done in a ziploc freezer bag, but i like to use a tupperware or glass/ceramic loaf pan so that the skin is not soaking in the cure...what ever will fit the piece of pork belly you have bought.

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-2 tsp fresh ground pepper

buy yourself a 2-3 lb. slab of belly with skin...no bones

i like to wash and dry it completely with paper towels before doing the cure.

completely cover the belly with the mixture.  place skin/fat side up in non-reactive container just big enough to fit. cover and let sit in fridge for at least 24 hours. this is the all important curing process. after about 12 hrs you can pour some of the liquid out of the container. i did. 

after 24 hrs remove and wash remaining salt/sugar mixture off under cool water. dry completely. take a sharp sharp knife and cut slits through the skin but not to the flesh. i cut about every 1/2  inch or so.

if skin is removed just put some shallow slashes into the fat.

COOKING THE PORK BELLY

1 large white onion

2 gala or honey crisp apples...something sweet and crisp

brown sugar

bacon, if the belly has no skin

cut 1 large white onion into thick slices and layer the bottom of a roasting pan lined with heavy tin foil.  put pork belly on the onions...this is sort of a trivet to keep the pork off the bottom of the roasting pan.  if you want to use the bacon method then remove the skin, not the fat, from the pork belly...(some are only sold without the skin) and cover the top with the bacon strips as shown in photo.  place apple slices nice and snug around as shown in photos.  this  prevents the sides from getting too brown AND lets the apples cook in pork fatty goodness.  sprinkle brown sugar all around the sides on and around apples.

there are 2 ways to cook the belly...low and slow for the whole time...or Jamie Oliver's method.  i suggest if you are using the bacon on top you do the low and slow method so the bacon won't burn.
NOTE...i did not get a crisp crunchy skin with either method.  i was not concerned because i knew i would be refrigerating this and consuming the next day.  the skin should crisp in the pan or broiler later.  if it doesn't want to crisp up, just discard the skin and sear the fatty side before serving.

Jamie Oliver method ....put oven to "full whack" 450 F for the first thirty minutes and then down to 350 F for the next 2 hours...or until really fork tender.  this is a fabulous recipe that you might want to start with if you are unfamiliar with pork belly....straight up crispy skin roasted pork belly...delicious!

Low and slow...put in 225 F degree oven for 5-6 hours or until meat is very fork tender.  this depends on the size of your belly (the PORK belly, silly).  remove from oven and let cool as is. when cool enough, put it in the fridge for at least a few hours. this makes for easy slicing and preparing and way you see fit... and you can keep it there for the week as you whittle away at the slab.  slice against the grain and sear in a hot pan...or put a large slice in the oven to warm and then turn your broiler on to crisp the skin.

do with it what you will...
you can't go wrong with a delicious slab of apple brown sugar pork belly.

You have read this article easy / fat / low and slow / pork belly / savory with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2012/06/cured-pork-belly-roasted-with-apple.html. Thanks!

Tacos de LENGUA. YES..."Tongue" Tacos

WHAT ON EARTH ???

why, yes...it is a cow's tongue.

this, by far, is the most challenging item i have cooked so far.
i've cooked Pig's Tails, Chicken Feet, Turkey Tails, Pig Ears, Snouts and Trotters, just to name a few...
but the tongue has escaped me...until NOW.
i've been wrestling with the idea for quite some time and i finally took the challenge head on...so to speak.
of course, in Southern California we have some fabulous Mexican food.  lucky for us we also have quite a few fabulous Mexican/Latino markets.  but...if you're in the neighborhood of Newport Beach/Costa Mesa i highly suggest you try a tiny little place called El Toro Bravo Tortillaria for one of THE BEST AUTHENTIC MEXICAN STREET TACOS.  it's at the end of a tiny little strip mall on 19th street in Costa Mesa.  AND as the name implies, it is also a Tortillaria factory so you are guaranteed the freshest tortillas.
portions are HUGE and prices are low...well worth the road trip, but be prepared for a hole in the wall looking place and a long line at lunch time.

back to MY tongue.  after trying the Lengua at El Toro Bravo, and loving it, i decided it was time to try my hand at it.
WHOA !!! what a monstrous chunk of ugly meat.  the texture alone is enough to scare one running for the hills.  after it's cooked it gets even worse...not until you have conquered the actual peeling of the outer layer and cutting the thing up does it get any better.  when i say put your game face on I'M NOT KIDDING.

the good news is...IT'S DEEE-LICIOUS !!!

INGREDIENTS FOR COOKING THE TONGUE

1 beef tongue (3 - 4 lbs)
2 large onions
8 - 10 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5 - 6 bay leaves
1 Tbsp peppercorns
2 Tbsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 heaping Tbsp Mexican oregano

FOR THE TACOS

fresh corn tortillas
pico de gallo...or fresh salsa of choice
avocado
cilantro
chopped white onion
lime wedges

COOKING THE TONGUE...

#1...put your game face on.

fill a large stock pot with water.  bring to a boil and put the tongue in for about 5 minutes.  remove tongue, discard the water and clean the pot...this is to remove any impurities.
fill the stock pot with water about 2/3 full.  add the tongue, onions, crushed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, cumin and salt.  bring to a boil.  reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 3 hours, until tongue is soft to the touch and fork tender.

remove the tongue from the water and cool for a couple of minutes...until is is cool enough to handle.
DO NOT WAIT TOO LONG...i was busy taking the photo and not thinking it would matter, i took my time.  it is harder to peel if the tongue has sat too long.  trust me...you do not want to spend a lot of time with the tongue in it's whole form trying to peel all the outer layer off.
i found it most unpleasant to peel skin off of a tongue...,BUT i'll admit it was kinda cool.
TO PEEL...notice the light colored skin covering most of the tongue.  using your fingers and a sharp small knife, remove the covering and discard.  there is no other way to describe this step.  you just have to experience it for yourself.
NOTE...notice the rough patch of meat where the tongue would attach to the bottom of the mouth...you may remove this if you don't like the looks of it.  i kept most of it.   mine wasn't to rough and ugly looking.  i did not want to waste any of the good edible meat.

after spending all morning and most of the afternoon with my tongue, i was over it for that day.  i took a small amount out and packed the rest away.
if not using right away....slice it in 1/2 inch, or so, thick slices, cover with strained cooking liquid and store in an airtight container.  i like to strain the broth before adding it back to the product that has cooked.

TO PREPARE FOR TACOS...reheat your slices either in a saute pan with a little oil until lightly browned or you can simply reheat in it's own juices in the microwave.
dice into small cubes, mince or you can shred...check your seasoning for salt and pepper and you're ready to build your tacos.

Mexican street tacos are pretty straight forward...FRESH TORTILLAS ARE KEY...then it's just meat, onions, cilantro and fresh salsa.  in America we tend to load them up with all kinds of other unnecessary items, but go ahead and help yourself with a little extra trimmings if you need to disguise the tongue on your first try.  work your way into it.
 i'll bet if you'll be amazed at how good a tongue could taste...
some how that doesn't sound right...

so...what do you say...

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE ???

You have read this article beef / low and slow / mexican / odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2012/02/tacos-de-lengua-yes-tacos.html. Thanks!

Braised Pork Belly... Asian style with Coca Cola

                            

let's face it...you can't go wrong with Pork Belly.

any way you cook it, it will be delicious...it will be rich...it will be fatty.  it will be unctuous and it will be worth every melt in your mouth delicious guilty morsel you find shoveling in your mouth.   most likely you will have porcine butter dripping down your chin as you polish off your plate and find yourself wanting more.

 i have cooked quite a few pork bellies in the past year and my favorite go-to recipe has been Jamie Oliver's Crispy Skin  Roasted Pork Belly. if you have never cooked a belly before i highly suggest giving it a go.  Jamie's recipe is too easy not to try.  

for a good laugh click HERE for pork belly with "extra bits"...and HERE for a roasted pork belly seared and served with maple dipping sauce

this time i wanted something different.

 i wanted that soft pillow-like little nugget of meaty fatty goodness.

BINGO...a slow braise with Asian aromatics.

i was looking for something like a Red Cooking or a Chairman Mao style recipe with that caramel looking glaze, but instead i went for a simple flavorful braise.

BUT...to change things up a bit i decided to add a coca cola.  when reduced i think coca cola has a caramel effect....it worked.

did it make a huge difference?   i have no idea.  i didn't get the "mahogany" glaze, BUT i did succeed in making beautiful little porcine packages swimming in a delicious light, well rounded...almost, dare i say, 

UMAMI-ish subtle broth.

for this recipe i combined ingredients and techniques from 2 great bloggers (links below).  please check out their blogs and refer to them as i did.  being this is the first time i attempted an Asian braise with pork belly, they were quite helpful.

Asian Dumpling Tips...and... Apple Pie, Patis and Pate

this is what i did for...

ASIAN STYLE BRAISED PORK BELLY with COCA COLA

2.2 lbs pork belly

1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 star anise

1/3 cup dry sherry ( you should use Shaoxing wine if possible)

1 1/2 inch(approx.) fat stub of fresh ginger sliced, thick - 5 or 6 slices

5 scallions, cut into 3 inch sticks

1 3 inch cinnamon stick

2 arbol chili, whole...optional

1/3 cup soy sauce

4 cups water

1 can coca cola

boil some water in a stock pot big enough to fit the whole slab of belly.  par boil the belly for 3-4 minutes.  this removes any impurities that might be lingering.  discard the liquid and clean the pot if using the same one for cooking.  when cool enough to handle cut into approximate 2 -2 1/2 inch squares.  tieing isn't necessary, but it looks cute and it will keep the belly pieces from separating during cooking.  tie them tight because they will shrink.

in a pot big enough to hold the pork belly pieces in one layer (i used a 5 1/2 qt. cast iron-enamel) add the brown sugar, cold water, sherry or Shoaxing wine, ginger slices, cinnamon stick, scallions, arbol chilis, soy sauce and coca cola.  STIR to combine and add the pork belly pieces, skin side down.  at this time i removed about 2 cups of the liquid because you want the liquid to just cover the pork belly.  depending on the size pot you choose you will probably need to remove some liquid...save it in case you need to add some back in during cooking.  the pork should not be just floating around in the pot.  they need to stay skin side down then later skin side up.  bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover pan and braise for 30-40 minutes.

after 30-40 minutes, turn the pork skin side up, cover and braise for another 2 - 3 hours.  a knife should easily pierce the pork when done.

NOTE...my broth did not reduce to 1/2 as one of the recipes said.  i did not get the mahogany color on my pork belly...i was hoping for a deeper thicker braising liquid.

BUT... i did end up with a light, smooth Asian flavored broth that was a lovely compliment to the unctuous fatty pork belly nuggets.

for the broth i used a fat separator, then strained the liquid through cheese cloth...do it twice if necessary for a clean-clear broth.  check for seasoning...you might want to add a touch of salt.  your looking for savory, but with a touch of sweet.

as shown in the photos...serving it plain and simple with a bit of the braising broth really let the pork belly shine on it's own.

You have read this article asian style / fat / low and slow / pork / pork belly with the title low and slow. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2012/01/braised-pork-belly-asian-style-with.html. Thanks!

Barbacoa Beef Cheeks - Slow Cooker Style

well i thought i better throw the dog a bone and serve you all up some MEAT. 

did you think i forgot about all my carnivorous friends and followers?

here, for those of you still on the fence about "nose-to-tail" cooking, is a tasty and safe introduction to a less common cut of meat.

BEEF CHEEKS......one of those illusive parts that you might be introduced to in fancy restaurants (or an authentic taco stand IN Mexico), but never see or hear about anywhere else.

i finally found some in my Mexican market here in So. California.  soooo happy...

beef cheeks are the definition of unctuous....

go ahead look it up... 

i think it's a cross between Mom's (Momacita's) all day pot roast and slow cooked oxtails...a wonderful rich beefy flavor with a little sticky gooey texture you find with the oxtails.

the recipe i found has a wonderful blend of flavors... with a hint of lime citrus and warm undertones from the cumin and oregano.  the broth was like none i had had before.  i think the fact that there were NO onions or other vegetables in the slow cooking process really set this one apart from my other crock pot recipes...

i will definitely use this base recipe again and again.

BUT i gotta tell ya...this is the ugliest, most difficult piece of meat i have ever had to butcher.

note to self and others....buy more than you need because by the time you trim away the chunks of fat and grizzle AND veins and silver skin you will have about 1/2 of what you purchased.

i suggest buying it already trimmed or ask the butcher.

luckily i knew i didn't have enough to fill the crock pot so i bought 4 large short ribs to add in.
THE SHORT RIBS WERE FABULOUS MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DELICIOUS !!!

so, by all means if you can't handle beef cheeks, or just can't find them, use short ribs or another choice of fatty meat that works well for slow cooking.

BARBACOA BEEF CHEEKS...slow cooker

adapted form Tasty Kitchen, recipe by SocialKim

the recipe calls for 6 pounds beef cheek meat

1 bought a package that read 2.65 pounds (that's all there was)...after trimming what ever i could i was left with 1 1/2 pounds so i supplemented with 4 large beef short ribs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp Mexican oregano (Mexican is best...get some)
2 tsp garlic powder
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 whole bay leaf
2 whole limes
1 cup beef broth...homemade, rendered form roasted beef bones is best
2 tsp Mexican chili powder, optional
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne, optional
i think a little heat is always necessary...

rinse cheek meat and trim away as much fat, gristle and silver skin as possible...good luck with this.  it ain't a pleasant job.  cut into large pieces.
put meat into large crock pot (i think mine is a 5 1/2 qt.) and season well with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.
add bay leaf and squeeze lime juice all over (pulp is fine)
add the beef stock.
stir slightly, cover and cook on HIGH for at least 6 hours...mine was in for a little over 7 hours.
i checked on mine after a few hours and gave it a little stir.
if the meat is fork "butter" tender you're good to go.

take the meat out with a slotted spoon and strain the broth.  the broth might come in handy to remoisten the meat if necessary...and the broth might just make a delicious soup base.  shred the meat and discard any solid fat or grizzle you might have missed in the lovely trimming process.  taste and season as you see fit.  try not to eat it all yourself while shredding and seasoning...

serve with your favorite tortillas, avocado, cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, fresh salsa, diced radish, etc etc etc...dress it up or just keep it simple....OR make little Tostaditas as i did for an interesting Mexican hors d'oeuvre...
maybe a fun amuse bouche for your next Mexican fiesta.

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