00:00I've made this twice now and it's really nice, says one of my readers.
00:04Watch how Worcester soy reduces to syrupy perfection while pork sees caramel brown.
00:10That's where the magic happens.
00:12For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website.
00:16Just google Tonteki Sudachi to find me.
00:19First, let's get our bread work sorted.
00:22Shred about 100 grams of cabbage as thin as you possibly can.
00:27We'll need that later.
00:28Now for the garlic.
00:30If you have small cloves, lightly smash them with the skins off.
00:34For large cloves, have them lengthwise remove those bitter green cores from the center,
00:40then lightly crush them.
00:42In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of Worcester sauce,
00:46two teaspoons of Japanese soy sauce,
00:48half teaspoon of oyster sauce,
00:51one tablespoon of mirin,
00:53and one teaspoon of honey.
00:54If you use Japanese brands like Bulldog or Kogome Worcestershire,
00:59they bring a sweeter, fruitier flavor.
01:02But standard lean pairings works perfectly.
01:04Just use a touchless since it's more assertive and vinegar-forward.
01:09Give it a good stir and set aside.
01:15Now for the pork.
01:16We're using more or less 450 grams of boneless pork.
01:21My recommendations for Tonteki are shoulder loin,
01:24blade chop, rib chop, and fatty loin chop.
01:28I'm actually running a double feature today.
01:30Here's a shoulder steak, but I also grabbed this pork chop from the local butcher.
01:35It was literally labeled for Tonteki.
01:38And you can see why.
01:39It's already glove cut for us.
01:42If you do choose a chop of a shoulder,
01:45make sure it has substantial marbling and a fat cap like this one.
01:49If you only see really lean loin chops at your store,
01:52those aren't going to cut it for this dish.
01:55Go for shoulder loin from Boston Butt instead.
01:57In that case, that extra marbling makes all the difference.
02:01For the shoulder, I make incisions on the connecting fat to help prevent curling
02:07and promote even cooking.
02:09If your pork is thicker than 1.5cm, grab a meat mullet or a rolling pin,
02:15and lightly tap the steak to make it an even 1.5cm throughout.
02:23On the other hand, for these drops, they are already thin enough so I won't pound them.
02:29Then add glove-style cuts across the meat so it opens up like a hand,
02:34but stays attached by about 1-2cm at the base.
02:39It should look like a baseball glove,
02:41or perhaps a slightly terrifying hand.
02:44The cuts stop the meat from curling up in the pan,
02:48and give that glorious sauce more surface area to cling to.
02:53This glove presentation is actually a hallmark of yokkaichi-style tonteki.
02:59Season both sides generously with salt and a few good grinds of black pepper per side.
03:05Now, dust very lightly with all-purpose flour,
03:09then brush off the excess until you can just barely see it.
03:13A thin flour veil promotes better browning and creates cohesive glaze that sticks to the meat.
03:19Too much flour scotches and muddies your sauce texture.
03:25Set a heavy bottom pan of medium-low heat and add half a tablespoon of lard or neutral oil if
03:33you prefer.
03:34Drop in your prepared garlic cloves. You want them to slowly turn translucent than pale gold,
03:40releasing those sweet roasted aromatics into the fat.
03:44Next, slide the pork into the pan. If your chop has a thick fat cut, stand it upright on the
03:50edge first,
03:51like propping a book up on its spine, and hold it steady with tongs for about 90-120 seconds.
03:59This renders out some fat and gives you better contact when you lay it flat.
04:06Now, lay flat and bump to heat up to medium. Flip every 60 seconds for 4-6 minutes total.
04:13Flip every 60 seconds for 4-6 minutes total.
04:20Multiple flips help prevent burning and also create a better sear.
04:25You're looking for deep caramel brown colour.
04:29Here's something really critical. The moment your garlic cloves turn golden, pluck them out and
04:35perch them right on top of the pork. You absolutely want to avoid burnt garlic. Burnt garlic tastes bitter
04:43and intense and it will ruin your glaze. Once both sides have developed that caramel brown colour, cover the
04:51pan with a lid and drop the heat to low. Let it steam cook for 5 minutes. This gentle moist
04:58heat
04:58finishes the interior without making it tough. Now, tilt the pan and spoon out the excess rendered fat
05:07or blot it with a paper towel until only a thin shimmer remains. Too much fat makes your glaze greasy
05:16and
05:16prone to breaking. You'll end up with separated oily sauce instead of the glossy coating we're after.
05:23Stir in your premixed sauce, scraping up all the beautiful fond, those brown bits stuck to the pan.
05:30Reduce the sauce until it's syrupy and clings to your spoon in a glossy sheet, about 1-2 minutes.
05:37Keep your heat at medium or below here, as sweet sauce is with sugar and mirin scorch easy.
05:44Check the thickest part of the pork with an instant read thermometer. 63 degrees celsius means it's
05:51safely cooked all the way through. Turn off the heat and transfer the pork and garlic to a plate to
05:57rest.
05:58While it rests, drop one teaspoon of cold unsalted butter into the warm glaze and swirl it in.
06:06Watch it go from shiny to lacquered with a luxurious velvety texture. That butter creates an emulsion that
06:14gives that glaze body and richness. Mound your shredded cabbage high on each plate. Lay the pork alongside it.
06:24Spoon the glossy glaze generously over the pork, letting it pour around the base and soak into that cabbage.
06:32Crown the meat with your golden garlic cloves and serve immediately while everything is still hot.
06:40You don't need dressing for this dish. The glaze is meant to season the cabbage too.
06:46If you've got plain cooked Japanese rice and miso soup on the side,
06:50your very Japanese-style taishoku meal is complete.
06:55Want even more delicious recipes? Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
07:01Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time. And if you're ready to cook,
07:05grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on
07:10your screen. Want to learn every detail behind this recipe? You can find the full version and step-by-step
07:16tips on my website. Just tap the link on the screen. And for more recipes like this,
07:21head to my Ultimate Recipe playlist. Thanks for watching.
Comments