Every year on our anniversary, we go to a little restaurant in Denver that is constantly packed full of people and flavors, Vesta Dipping Grill. Our favorite thing on the menu, and the reason we go back every year, is this AMAZING pork belly appetizer. Each order comes with one piece of pork belly and we each get one for each year we've been together. Can't wait for the 20th year anniversary. This pork belly means so much to us, we even had it at our wedding, not that we got to eat much of it, since we were out taking pictures during cocktail hour.... booo!
This is a long and somewhat tedious process, so you will want to make enough to make it worth it. I would say make it for a party! For us, it's worth it to make just for the two of us.
Char Siu Pork Belly
Ingredients:
-2 long strips skinless Pork Belly
-2 tbsp garlic, minced
Char Siu sauce
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tbsp cooking Sherry
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-1 tbsp oyster sauce
-1 tsp hoisin
-1 tsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
-1/2 cup sugar
Instructions:
1. Mix together the Char Siu sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the pork belly and garlic and marinate at least 6-8 hours in the refrigerator, covered. If you have the time, marinate overnight.
2. When finished marinating, heat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Put the pork belly on a drip tray and roast for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, take the pork belly and brush more Char Siu sauce on each side. Flip the pork belly over and cook for another 20 minutes.
5. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove pork belly and slice into thick bite-sized pieces.
7. Microwave the rest of the Char Siu sauce in a small microwave safe bowl until it is bubbling and has thickened, 30 second intervals. Top the pork belly with more sauce before serving.
Easy Way to Skin the Mandarin Oranges
-2-3 Mandarin Oranges, peeled and sliced
-1 tbsp Pectinase
Instructions:
1. Put Mandarin Orange Slices in a large bowl and fill with water until the orange slices are covered.
2. Add Pectinase and let sit overnight, covered.
3. The skins should come off naturally, you will need to fish the skin out of the bowls with a small mesh sieve.
Yuzu Aioli
Make sure you know how to make a general Aioli first... This is hard!!! I fail almost every time.
Ingredients:
-1/4 tsp white vinegar
-1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
-1 tsp lemon juice
-Salt to taste
-1 egg yolk
-1/2 cups vegetable oil
-1/2 tsp paprika
-1 tbsp Yuzu Sauce, or substitute with 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, add the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and egg. Whisk ingredients together until smooth.
2. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil, continuously whisking while you do so. The mixture should thicken and become like the consistency of mayonnaise.
3. Add in the Yuzu Sauce (or substitutes) and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in salt as needed.
Putting it Together
Ingredients:
-Char Siu Pork Belly, sliced into thick bit sized pieces, about 1 inch long
-Extra Char Siu Sauce
-Yuzu Aioli
-Mandarin Orange, cleaned, divided into slices, and skinned
-Cilantro
Instructions:
1. On a plate, place each piece of pork belly a little bit apart.
2. Drizzle heated Char Siu Sauce on top of each piece.
3. Place one orange slice on each piece.
4. Drizzle Yuzu Aioli on all the pieces, don't be afraid to be generous.
5. Top each piece with cilantro and serve while the pork belly is still hot.
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