Milk Braised Pork Sandwich
| Serves | 20 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Pork, Vegetables |
| Day Part | Lunch |
| Menu Part | Sandwich/Wrap |
| Cuisine Type | Asian |
Chef Eric Silverstein
The Peached Tortilla
Austin, Texas
For this Vietnamese-style sandwich, chef Silverstein braises pork shoulder in milk and sweet spices to impart tenderness and flavor. The pork is then layered with pickled Asian pears and red onions for textural contrast and sambal mayonnaise for a shot of heat.
Ingredients
Milk braised pork
8 lb. pork shoulder
1/2 cup Chinese 5-spice powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. black pepper
6 tbsp. canola oil
15 cloves garlic
1 piece (4 in.) ginger root, peeled and sliced
8 pieces star anise
4 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
8 cups milk
2 cups cream
Pickled Asian pear & red onion
1 Asian pear, cut in half moons
1 red onion, julienned
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. sugar
1 in. piece ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. kochukaru flakes (Korean chili)
Sambal mayo
24 oz. silken tofu
1/4 cup lime juice
2 1/2 tbsp. sambal
Salt, to taste
Sandwiches
20 parbaked baguette-style sandwich rolls
6 lb. milk braised pork
3 lb. arugula
1/4 cup pickled Asian pears and red onions
3 cups sambal mayo
Steps
- Prepare milk braised pork: Slice pork shoulder into 4 pieces. Mix Chinese 5 spice, brown sugar, kosher salt and black pepper to create a rub. Apply rub to pork generously on all sides.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Heat canola oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat; add pork and brown on all sides. Once pork shoulders are browned, remove from pan.
- Keeping the pan on the heat, add garlic and ginger; saute until aromatic. Add star anise, cinnamon and cloves; saute 1 minute. Stir in milk and cream; bring braising liquid to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer pork shoulders to a 6-inch deep full hotel pan. Add braising liquid and aromatics. The braising liquid should almost immerse the pork shoulders completely. Lightly cover the pan with foil.
- Transfer pan to oven and cook pork for 3 1/2 hours or until fork tender, turning pork every 45 minutes to an hour, adding more milk and/or cream to the braising liquid if necessary.
- Remove pork shoulders and skim fat from braising liquid. Run curdled braising liquid through a strainer. Shred pork and rehydrate in strained braising liquid. Store in refrigerator overnight.
- Prepare pickled Asian pears and onions: In large saucepan, combine all all ingredients except pears and onions; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Place pear slices and onions in stainless steel bowl; add pickling liquid and let stand.
- Prepare sambal mayo: In blender, combine tofu, lime juice, sambal and salt to taste until smooth.
- For sandwiches, prepare sandwich rolls according to package instructions. Spread sambal mayo on both sides of each baguette roll. Top with 4 ounces braised pork, reheated in braising liquid, arugula leaves and pickled Asian pears and red onions.