Barrel-Aged Sweet Shoyu-Glazed Pork Belly
Recipe courtesy of Timothy Smith, Executive Chef, Hideaway Beach Club (Marco Island, Fla.)
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the pork belly:
- pork belly - 1 ea., about 4 lbs., skinless
- Haku Barrel Aged Shoyu - 1 cup
- mirin - 1/3 cup
- ginger - 1 Tbsp., freshly grated
- brown sugar - 2 Tbsp.
- barrel-aged shoyu glaze - 1 1/2 cup
- marcona almonds - 1/2 cup, toasted, for garnish
- Ingredients for the barrel-aged shoyu glaze
- Haku Whiskey Barrel Aged Shoyu - 1/2 cup
- water - 1/2 cup
- mirin - 1/4 cup
- corn starch - 1 Tbsp.
- light brown sugar - 1 Tbsp.
- Ingredients for the purple sweet potato mousse:
- purple sweet potato - 3 cups, diced
- coconut cream - 14 oz.
- pure maple syrup - 1/3 cup
- light brown sugar - 1 Tbsp.
- Vietnamese cinnamon - 1 tsp.
- Ingredients for the collards:
- collard greens - 6 bunches, fresh (can substitute mustard greens, kale, or any other hearty green)
- garlic - 10 cloves, chopped
- yellow onion - 1 ea., small dice
- chicken stock - 1 qt.
- apple cider vinegar - 1/4 cup
- Tabasco - 1 oz.
- chili flake - 1/4 tsp.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- unsalted butter - 3 Tbsp.
Instructions
Procedure for pork belly:
- Mix shoyu, mirin, ginger and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until mixed completely.
- In a 2-inch hotel pan, place the pork belly, and pour the shoyu mixture over. Cover with foil and cook at 300°F for 3 hours until pork is tender.
- Remove from oven. Weigh down pork belly by covering with another hotel pan with two #10 cans and refrigerate 3-4 hours to press the pork belly to even thickness.
- For service, slice the pork belly to desired size, and heat in 300°F oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F.
- Brush with barrel-aged shoyu glaze and serve.
Procedure for barrel-aged shoyu glaze:
- In a sauce pan, mix all ingredients and bring to a simmer.
- Keep at a simmer 3-4 minutes until mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature for service.
Procedure for purple sweet potato mousse:
- Place diced sweet potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.
- Place cooked sweet potatoes, maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and purée.
- In a mixer, whip coconut cream until it is airy and light. Add to sweet potato mixture and stir to combine. Hold warm for service.
Procedure for collards:
- Remove the stems from the greens, roll the leaves and cut into strips.
- In a dutch oven or braising pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic and sauté 2 minutes until translucent.
- Add the greens and sautee another 2-3 minutes until starting to wilt down.
- Add the chicken stock, vinegar, tabasco and chili flake and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour and then season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and hold for service.
To plating:
- Using a pastry brush, paint some of the excess shoyu glaze on the bottom of the plate, then pipe a small amount of the sweet potato mousse in the center.
- Place about 2 Tbsp. on the collards next to the sweet potato, and place 2 slices of the pork belly on top. Garnish with a few toasted marcona almonds that have been chopped for texture.
