Lap Yuk Recipe
La Ròu / Lap Yuk
Chinese Cured Pork Belly (AKA Chinese Bacon)
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
3 ½ lbs Pork Belly (Wǔhuāròu) - cut into apx ½ inch thick slices
½ inch piece Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - cut into 3 slices
2 cloves Fresh Garlic (Dàsuàn) - sliced thin
4 Bay Leaves (Xiāng Yè)
2 Star Anise (Bājiǎo)
2 Cinnamon Sticks (Guìpí)
1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns (Huājiāo)
⅓ Cup Dark Soy Sauce (Lǎo Chōu)
½ Cup Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
1 Cup Shaoxing Rice Wine
¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar (Dàn Hóngtáng)
3 Tbs
Baijiu
(Chinese Liquor) - can substitute whiskey or any clear grain alcohol
Preparation:
- Place the ginger, garlic, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, and sugar in a small pan over medium heat - Bring the mixture to a simmer, and allow to simmer (stirring constantly) until sugar completely dissolves (apx 2-3 minutes) - Remove from heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature
- Rinse the pork belly and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels (pork should be as dry as possible)
- Transfer the pieces of pork belly to a shallow baking dish and arrange in a single layer
- Once the sauce has completely cooled, stir in the baijiu (or whisky) and pour the mixture over the pork, making sure the meat is completely submerged (Place a clean plate or other baking dish on top to weigh down the meat if necessary) - Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3 full days, flipping the pork belly once each day
- After 3 days, it’s time cure - You can use a dehydrator set to 120ºF and allow the pork to dehydrate for 3 days flipping the pieces every 12 hours -OR- you can hang them to dry; Use kitchen string and a bamboo skewer to thread the string through the fat in the pork belly - Tie a knot to make a sturdy loop, and hang the pork belly in a cool dry place (you want the temperature to remain around 50-60ºF, and the relative humidity should be around 65% - A basement works well for this though it is best made during the colder months) - Layer some newspaper over some plastic under the hanging pieces to catch any liquid that drips and a fan on low blowing very gently on the pieces doesn't hurt - Allow it hang and dry for 4-6 days until the outer layer is completely dry and the inside is still slightly soft when pressed
- Once cured, you can heat and heat it immediately or use it for all kinds of dishes (i.e. Zhēng Làròu [Steamed with Rice], Clay Pot Rice, Stir-Fries, Fried Rice, Pan Fried Noodles, etc) -OR- you can store the pieces in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible - Refrigerate for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 3 months
