FILIPINO PORK BELLY, SOUS VIDE STYLE

This recipe from Chris McDonald’s The Complete Sous Vide Cookbook comes in two delicious stages: Chinese-style Char Sui Pork — delicious as it is — and Filipino Pork Belly Adobo, the sticky, saucy goal of the exercise.

This luscious sweet-and-sour pork belly is considered the national dish of the Philippines.

CHAR SIU–STYLE PORK BELLY

2 lb (907 g) fresh pork belly 6 tbsp (90 mL) soy sauce

6 tbsp (90 mL) sake rice wine 1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped ginger

1. Preheat hot water bath to 155°F (68.3°C)

2. Score pork rind at 1-inch (2.5 cm) intervals across the belly. Repeat in the opposite direction.

3. In a small saucepan, stir together soy sauce, sake and honey. Bring to a boil on stove over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in green onions and ginger. Refrigerate until chilled.

4. Transfer pork belly and soy sauce mixture to freezer bag. Seal bag and immerse in preheated hot water bath. Cook for 10 to 12 hours.

5. Remove bag from hot water bath, transfer to an ice bath and chill for 30 minutes.

6. Remove pork belly from bag, reserving cooking liquid.

FILIPINO PORK BELLY ADOBO

1 batch Essential Char Siu– Style Pork Belly

¼ cup (60 mL) cider vinegar 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped garlic

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated piloncillo sugar

1 ½ tsp (7.5 mL) black pepper

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4 bay leaves

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1. Cut Char Sui into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks. Set aside.

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, combine pork belly, vinegar, garlic, onion, sugar, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a slow simmer and stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until juices are reduced to a sticky caramelized glaze and pork is very tender but not falling apart. To prevent burning, check the mixture constantly as the juices reduce.

Makes 6 servings.