Salted Pork with Garlic Paste
I often see chefs online showcasing pan-fried cured pork and hosts enjoying it enthusiastically, which makes me wonder when I can cure some of my own. What recipe? I'll make my own — be self-reliant and craft whatever flavor I crave. Garlic is my favorite, so garlic it is. I just picked up an irregularly shaped piece of pork shoulder, so I trimmed it into rectangles for roasting and used the scraps to cure this pork. Pork belly also works wonderfully if you prefer.
Ingredients
Pork shoulder (mei rou)
300g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Prepare about 12 cloves of garlic and 1/4 of a shallot.
2
Step 2
Place the pork pieces into a bowl, add 1/2 tablespoon thirteen-spice blend, 1/2 tablespoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon mixed pepper, 1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder, and 1 tablespoon water, then mix well by hand.
3
Step 3
Grate the garlic and shallot into a paste using a hand-held garlic grater, then pour into the bowl with the pork.
4
Step 4
Mix by hand to marinate evenly, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and mix once more until combined.
5
Step 5
Wrap each piece of pork in cling film and place in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for about 3 to 7 days. It can actually be left a few extra days, but not for too long. If you plan to eat it soon, place the marinated pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator (non-freezer compartment) for 2 to 3 days instead.
6
Step 6
Before pan-frying, use a knife to scrape off the excess garlic paste, then place in a pan and fry until both sides are golden and crispy. Make sure it is cooked through.
7
Step 7
Once cooked, place the pork on a clean cutting board and slice it for serving. The sliced pork stir-fried with the scraped-off garlic paste along with vegetables and dried tofu is also absolutely delicious.
