pork

Katsudon / July 19, 2016 by Cynthia Raub

katsudon japanese fried pork over rice with egg and onions

Katsudon is leftover sliced tonkatsu, which is quickly stewed in a sweet-salty broth, with softened onions and bound together with nature's finest: an egg. Once this beautiful mixture is finished cooking, you slip it over a bowl of steaming hot rice. Then you either: 1) pump your fist in excitement, 2) cry a thousand tears into your shirt because "It's so wonderful!", 3) hope no one else smells it so you don't have to share a bite or 4) all of the above. If you have leftover tonkatsu, this comes together quickly and easily. If you don't have any leftover tonkatsu, it's worth an entire batch just to make this dish.

Notes: Katsudon is generally made from leftover tonkatsu so I wrote this recipe as a serving for one. I don't know why there would be ANY leftover tonkatsu, let alone MULTIPLE leftover servings. It's unfathomable to me and this recipe reflects that. This recipe is easy to scale up and you can do multiple servings in large pans, so don't be dismayed by the serving size. There is enough soy sauce in the recipe to season the sauce, which is why I have not included salt. I used low sodium soy sauce, and I didn't think any more salt was necessary.

Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet) / July 19, 2016 by Cynthia Raub

tonkatsu japanese fried breaded pork cutlet

Tonkatsu is a western-influenced Japanese dish that most would consider as comfort food. Similar to German wiener schnitzel, it is merely fried pork cutlets with a crumb coating. Tonkatsu is traditionally served over thinly sliced green cabbage with a side of hot yellow mustard and tonkatsu sauce, a fruit and vegetable based sauce (similar to a thickened and sweet Worcestershire sauce). Home-frying might be daunting, but I assure you that this recipe is not. Crank up your vent, prepare a few extra dishes for the dredging process, and make sure you have a handful of paper towels available.

My mom makes this at home when she is feeding a group of people - it is inexpensive, delicious and easy. She will send leftovers home with me, which we will rewarm in the oven, (or just eat cold,) and it's one of the dishes that initially inspired me to share meals with the people I care about.

Notes: The three-step dredging process is crucial for this recipe and type of frying. Your diligence will result in tremendously flavorful and moist fried pork cutlets. This is a messy process, but it yields great results. If you don't like your fingers to get sticky, you can use tongs to grasp the pork while you coat the chops. BUT! Cooking is supposed to be a little messy and not to mention, you have more control when you use your hands. You can also substitute chicken (skinless, boneless, filleted thigh meat) for the pork, which will give you chicken katsu. I prefer a shallow fry for this dish because it's easier to clean up and just as effective as deep frying. The pork is thin and cooks quickly, so deep frying is not necessary to save time in this instance. If you happen to have any leftover tonkatsu, have your hand at Katsudon: an incredible remix of an already delicious dish.

Pork and Broccolini Sandwich / June 14, 2016 by Cynthia Raub

pulled pork broccolini and provolone sandwich

A pork shoulder roast is a gift that keeps on giving. Its meaty girth, gristle, and crisp skin provides a generous and impressive roast, without breaking the bank, which is perfect for a large group. Or, you can make one for your family and reserve the leftover meat for future meals! Amy gifted me with an enormous chunk of her roast and I wanted to do something different from my typical uses of leftover pork. I normally default to pulled pork sandwiches or use it as a taco filling, but somewhere in the depths of my memory, I recalled a pork sandwich I had at Salumi in Seattle eons ago as inspiration. The earthy and tender broccolini, with luscious and slightly crisped pork on a toasted roll, was held together by melted provolone. This decadent sandwich is my new favorite way to enjoy leftover pork shoulder.

Notes: This sandwich is pretty straightforward with few ingredients, so it's important that each component is the best that is can be. A substantial sandwich roll is crucial to a sandwich like this - a ciabatta or torta roll with good structure will not fall apart under the cooked down broccolini and loose pork. I loved the variations in texture that the broccolini had: from the firmer stems to the soft cooked heads, but I can see other greens used as a substitute. If you don't care for broccolini, I would recommend green swiss chard with stems and leaves.

Slow-Roasted Pork with Crunchy Skin and Chimichurri Sauce / June 14, 2016 by Amy Cantu

When faced with a very large, beautiful, bone-in, skin-on, fatty beast of a pork shoulder, do not be afraid. Revel in awe in its size, richness, and sacrifice to our privileged bellies. I gathered up my courage and treated this beast the best way I know how - with love and simplicity. I love pork so much. I especially love this slow-roasted, juicy, succulent, messy, pork shoulder complete with its crunchy, puffy, crackling skin. I really can't fully describe the love, joy, and pure elation that Cynthia and I felt, as we pulled this meat into thick shreds. I honestly just felt thankful. Thankful for the plentiful gifts of the pig. Thankful to have Cynthia to share it with. Thankful that Father's Day gave us an excuse to roast such a beast. As for the simplicity, just salt and pepper season this pork to allow all of its sweet, meaty flavor to shine through. I served it next to a bowl of bright green, tangy Chimichurri Sauce to cut through some of the pork's richness and contrast the slow-roasted flavors with fresh herbs. Even now, I breathe a deep, happy sigh at the thought of it.

Notes: I bought my pork from a butcher, so I asked for the skin to be scored and the meat tied (what you see in the photos below). It never hurts to ask if the meat counter will do the same! Scoring the skin encourages crunchy pork skin (or pork rind), and it looks pretty. Tying the meat helps the roast keep its shape for even cooking. All of that said, it’s not totally necessary to score and tie the roast for great results, so don’t sweat it if you don’t feel like the hassle.

To score the skin on your own, use a really sharp knife or a clean box cutter to cut a diamond pattern into the skin. The cuts should go through the skin and into the fat, but not the meat. (See photos below for an example.)

No need to get fancy with tying the meat. Just use kitchen twine and tie the meat in 2-inch intervals. If you want to learn how to tie butcher knots, you can Google lots of tutorials.

This recipe is very simple and straightforward, but do notice that the cooking time has a wide range for a couple different reasons. 1) The time it takes for the meat to achieve the soft, shredding stage depends on the amount of fat and connective tissue. A thermometer is not super helpful here – check it with a fork to see if the meat is soft and giving. 2) This is a two-step process: Once the meat is cooked, the pork comes out of the oven to rest for at least 15 minutes, before going back into a very hot oven for another 20 minutes or so to crisp up the skin to its proper crunchy glory.

The seasoning on this pork roast is deliberately simple to allow for limitless options in the pork’s destiny. I have included a recipe for Chimichurri Sauce, which Cynthia and I used to judiciously dunk thick shreds of pork with our greasy fingers. (Forks were just getting in our way!) We also devoured Cynthia's Pork and Broccolini Sandwich made with this pork - so amazing. My family made various fun tacos with the leftover meat throughout the week. To reheat the meat, crisp the meat in either a hot pan (no extra oil needed), or in an oven/toaster oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. Some ideas: dollops of Pico de Gallo and Guacamole, topped with Harissa and plain yogurt, drizzled with spicy Korean Bi Bim Bap sauce, and heaped with Thai Cucumber-Peanut Relish. The pork recipe comes from the venerable Serious Eats, which has its own fun list of suggested sauces.