BBQ Pork Belly Steamed Buns Demonstrated by Chef TJ Lengnick of Shinsei
Finally, the cold weather has gone back into hibernation. Skies are bluer, people are sipping cocktails and downing beers on restaurant patios. We thought this season would never come -- you know, with it snowing an inch or more in late March. How do you celebrate spring finally entering our lives again? Going to a cookout, of course.
No need to go knocking door to door searching for a house with a grill, fridge full of meat and a six pack of cold ones, because we found one for you. Next Sunday, April 25, is the sixth annual Taste of the NFL: The Ultimate Cowboys Tailgate Party at Glass Cactus in Grapevine featuring 22 gourmet food stations from top local chefs. The evening also will include live music from Emerald City, silent auction bidding, raffles, past and present Cowboy players, and appearances from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The event will help raise money for the North Texas Food Bank. This sounds way better than hanging out in your neighbor's backyard listening to Jimmy Buffet and laying out next to the kiddie pool wearing an inflatable duck floatie. For more information, you can call 214-431-4683 or visit www.ntfb.org.
This week and the following we will preview two of the chefs featured at the tailgate party so you can score a new summer recipe, and of course, tease your taste buds. For today's Appetite for Instruction, we have chef TJ Lengnick of Shinsei demonstrating the barbecue pork belly steamed buns for our City of Aters. We do feel like we need to warn you that this recipe is a little longer than usual, but that only means more drool-worthy food photos to stare at.
Ingredients:
Pork belly:
¼ slab pork belly (skin off)
3 tbsp garlic
3 tbsp ginger
3 tbsp soy
3 tbsp chopped herbs (cilantro, mint, Thai basil)
3 tbsp sambal
Zest of orange
Salt and pepper to taste
Roll of cooking string/twine
Fold buns (available at most Asian markets)
Slaw:
½ cup green cabbage (julienne)
½ cup red cabbage (julienne)
¼ cup carrots (julienne)
1/8 cup cilantro leaves
3 tbsp lemon juice
Hoisin Sauce:
1 cup hoisin
½ cup honey
2 tbsp sambal
1 cup orange juice
1 knob ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
Pork belly preparation:
Step 1: Place pork belly skin-side down on cutting board and rub with all ingredients except salt and pepper. Allow to marinate overnight.
Step 2: The next day, place pork belly back on cutting board and roll it.
Step 3: Use the cooking string to tie the pork belly.
Step 4: Season outside with salt and pepper and place in oven @ 250 degrees for 4 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Pork belly final product should look like the photo above.
Hoisin Sauce and Slaw preparation:
Step 1: For the hoisin sauce, place all ingredients in medium sauce pot and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Strain.
Step 2: For the slaw, mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
BBQ Porkbelly Steamed Buns Assembly:
Step 1: Slice pork belly as thin as possible then reheat in hoisin sauce
Step 2: Steam your favorite fold buns.
Step 3: Place 1 ½ oz of the pork on the bun top with slaw and enjoy!!
Check it out the full making-of in picture form in our extended slideshow: here.
