Here’s a pair of simple but outstanding recipes cooked by my friend, Peter—this is his second post. He’s made this pork a number of times, using several variants of the recipe. This one, however, is an AI amalgamation of what you’ll find online, wisely double-checked against weird AI blunders.
The jasmine rice is their favorite rice recipe at the Peter condo, often served with a garnish of steamed bok choy, chives and heirloom jalapeños (as pictured).
What you’ll need for the pork
- 3 lbs. pork shoulder, cut into 2” – 3” pieces
- 0.66 cups rice vinegar
- 0.33 cups soy sauce
- 12 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 6 bay leaves
- 1T whole black peppercorns
- 1T and 1t shaved palm sugar or brown sugar
What you’ll need for the rice
- 2 cups jasmine rice, unwashed/un-rinsed
- 2.75 cups water
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
- Small pinch of salt or sugar or both
What to do for the pork
Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in a small bowl. Add the pork pieces to a 1-gallon freezer bag and pour in the vinegar mixture. Push out the air and seal the bag, manipulating the pork to ensure it’s covered with marinade. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to overnight. Move the pork around every so often, to get good coverage.
When ready to cook, heat your oven to 275° F. Add the pork and all its marinade to a 5- – 7-quart Dutch oven, then cover it. Put it in the oven for 1.5 – 2 hours, until the meat is cooked and easily breaks apart with a fork.
When done, remove the meat from the oven and turn the oven to 425° F. When it reaches temperature, put the meat back in the oven, uncovered, and cook it for about 15 more minutes, turning over the pieces with tongs about halfway through the additional cooking time. After the 15 minutes, the pork should just become caramelized and slightly crisp. If not, cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the oven.
As the dish cools on the counter, remove the oil floating on the surface by whatever means you prefer. Another longer option is to let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a couple of hours, after which you can easily remove the solidified fat.
Serve hot with rice.
What to do for the rice
Add all the ingredients to saucepan (3 quarts with a cover), giving everything a quick swirl to mix, then bring to a boil. Upon boiling, immediately set the heat to low and cover, cooking for about 8 minutes. Do not remove the cover during cooking.
After the 8 minutes, take the pan off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and the star anise. Fluff the rice with a fork or spoon before serving hot.
