Tagalog taste-profile Porkloin BBQ…tenderest-juiciest smokey grill-out sensation.

Picture

      Pork BBQ
(The “Tagalog” Profile)
Millions of recipes had been posted about BBQ: be it pork, chicken, beef or lamb via charcoal, firewood or gas grilling medium. In the Philippines most popular are the ones formulated in the Visayas (the middle peninsula) particularly those from Iloilo, Bacolod and other Visayan regions which they aptly call: “INASAL” or “SINUGBA.
Deviating from the usual, with “innovation” as my main drive, I formulated a marinade mix which will showcase the “Tagalog” taste (Tagalogs are natives of National Capital Region of the country habitating the mid and southern part of the north peninsula)that could also be enjoyed by other-grill loving foodies worldwide.
As against using ham part which elicits a bit toughness when grilled (being 90-95% lean), porkloin is utilized for the inter-layering of lean and fat makes it perfectly tender and juicier post grilling.
Nothing especial is needed to serve this simple weekend family bonding recipe much so when done in our own backyard cook out.
 I. Ingredients/Materials:
I1: For marinating:
1 kilo porkloin rind-on
Water                  450 grams
Soy sauce           130 ml
Cane vinegar        70  ml
Brown sugar       200 grams
Kosher salt           30 grams
Ground black pepper     6 grams
Crushed garlic cloves   20 grams
Chopped red onion       30 grams
Sliced red cayenne pepper    2 grams
I.2: For grilling:
22-24 pieces bamboo skewers 12 inches long
Soya oil  80 ml.
Basting brush
Charcoal
II. Directions:
II.1: Prep and marinating/curing:
1. Remove pork rind and cut rectangularly 1.5 x 3 inches long. Set aside.
2. Slice porkloin ½ inch thick and cut rectagularly 1.5 X 3 inches long. Set aside.
3. In a suitable container, add in and mix well all liquid ingredients, all spices, salt and sugar.
4. Give the mixture a good wire whisking and mixing.
5. Add in sliced pork and rind. Toss and tumble well giving meat a simple massage to
break its protein thereby letting its flesh absorb the marinade. Refrigerate. DO NOT
FREEZE for freezing will solidify moisture in a matter of 45 minutes-1 hour thereby
blocking entry of flavor unto pork’s flesh.
6. Tumbling and tossing again every hour, minimum of 3 hour-ref marinating is enough but
5 hours would be perfect.
7. In a suitable container, soak skewers in tap water for as long as meat is under
curing/marinating. This method prevents burning of bamboo skewers while grilling.
II.2: Grilling prep:
1. Summon wet skewers and starting with rind first, insert skewer into the 1.5” area getting out the other 1.5” end
(or skewer it horizontally)
2. Follow with 3-4 pieces of porkloin leaving a little free inches of skewer to handle.
3. Go through until all are in BBQ sticks. Set aside.
4. Start firing up your charcoal.
5. Make sure that heated charcoal in no more than 4 inches below your steel, stainless or cast iron slotted griller.
II.3: Basting sauce:
1. While waiting for the charcoal to be fully fired up, in a container mix the “leftover” marinade and soya oil.
2. Blend and whisk thoroughly.
3. Mix or blend or whisk thoroughly each and every usage.
II.4: Grilling process:
1. Wait until charcoal emits full reddish heat as half heated ones will render “smokey” aroma and taste to your BBQ.
2. Dump brush unto container, use this to mix well basting sauce then FULLY and abundantly baste each
and every meat stick you will char-grill.
3. Lay flat onto grill.
4. After 2 minutes, turn to other side fully basting again repeatedly.
5. This time just grill this side for 1 minute.
6. Done. Tenderness and flavor will be prefect.
7. Don’t over-grill as meat will toughen.
NOTE:
This procedure could also be applied when grilling pork belly (liempo) where slices could be thicker, length longer
and grilling time is doubled or to desired done-ness.
(for further questions, click here to email me) 

Sports & photography this time. WOW!

I love this shot snapped at the beachfront of Shangrila-Mactan Cebu, Phils. during 2012’s IronMan 70.3
Side of the sea where athletes started off for the swim leg-back then head for transition area enroute to bike leg.

My favorite Chinese resto fumbled.

Picture

Whenever Marilyn (my spouse) and I have the urge to unwind post hectic grind at the office, we ONLY have 4 choices of eatery to choose from.

One of them is my very own fave, Gloria Maris at Greenhills. While cross-overs are welcome, the site is gigantic divided into different dining sections (dimsum & dumpling, “shabu-shabu” (cook yourself) and fine dining).
Their Chinese lines of cuisines are superb that each time I had my 2 bottles of ultra cold beer plus the array of dimsum, dumpling, dry or wet noodles or their other Chinese chefs’ concoctions, we head home truly filled, full and satisfied. But not yesterday.
We ordered the usual as in this tablet-taken shot (for I left my DSLR at home).
We noticed:
1. busboys & servers were few. Majority of tables were still with dirt & leftovers of the previous patrons.
2. it took them 15 minutes before they can attend to us. Swiftness and attention to details in serving were nil that we conclude personnel are evidently tyros.
3. The former cozy rectangle tables by the glass-wall side where we love to dine due to high banquette head restrains were replaced by rounded ones. Quite uneasy to dine sideways.
4. Beef noodle soup was awful. Beef was old stock that I tasted mold in them.
5. My favorite Bean Curd Roll was tough. Needed a little more heating to soften
its “Kikiam” wrapper (note the brown roll in the pic).
But then, wifey and I just rationalized: busboys & servers could have been absent since it was raining hard
that afternoon till evening due to typhoon. Also, the reason for the delay in service.
Rectangle tables could have been used elsewhere in a function.
The beef’s “moldiness” and “Kikiam” wrappers’ toughness are non-negotiables.
Chefs’, no matter how busy they may be, MUST check, double check each and every dispatch from the kitchen.
That’s how to assure management of “consistent quality” products.
And so…no matter what…we will still come back. I know there were valid reasons for those “bruhaha”.
Amen.


Honey enhances flavor of this cured round-porkloin bacon.

914295_orig.jpg

Honey rounded-off  the flavor of this round porkloin bacon.
In the production of our frozen processed meat line, definite as the sun will rise, is our use of U.S.FDA-Approved food grade Sodium Nitrite (NaNO3) granules to “cure” the different types of meat we market.
Our own brands of “meat cures” are blends of
very fine salt, NaNO3 & food phosphates.
And that’s for the “cure”.
Now for that part of pork to use:
aside from ham & pre-marinated skewered pork BBQ, we utilize porkloin in the production of bacon strips and Canadian round. Reason being: it’s not so dry & tough when bitten unlike the leg or picnic shoulder.
The inter-layering of pork fat with lean, similar to premium beef’s “marbling”, makes porkloin a wiser raw-mat choice, tender, better quality and really tasteful end products. Apart from utilizing plain cure, we add honey to our curing-marinating blend. This unique ingredient renders a bit of sweetness to otherwise too salty bacon that our clients prefer more than the widely produced ones of the multi-nationals.
Should you have bought lately, you can still alter your stocks’ taste for the better.
Go to the mixture of: 200ml water, 20 grams of your fave honey, 15ml of pineapple juice, 3 grams sugar & 2 grams salt.
Mix and tumble all together until all solid ingredients are dissolved.
A little heating will definitely help to get the blend well mixed.
In a suitable container, pour in your “honey blend marinade”, dump your strips or rounds and give them a good massaging and tumbling and tossing. Refrigerate overnight.

Ready to fry & serve.

Taste the difference.
My family enjoys this type of bacon & hope you, dear foodies, do, too.
(Click here to email me should you have further questions)

Shiitake Shu-mai (Japanese pork-based-mushroom-infused dimsum)

507678_orig.jpg

Even your 3-year old kid can make this type of recipe…dimsum & dumpling.
It’s the easiest in the world as long as you don’t concoct thus “blind-foldedly” add anything
…repeat anything, that goes into your mind. If you do-it’s tragedy.
Go ahead with your usual ground pork. Just add the simplest ingredients: salt, sugar, MSG (optional),
ground black pepper, ground carrots, ground turnips (optional) and sesame oil.
Instead of plain tap water, add “pre-cut shiitake mushroom” into it. Soak for 30 minutes.
Add in ALL ingredients plus the mushroom water with cut mushrooms.
Exercise your arm and grip. Give it a big tumbling and tossing.
Using “molo”  or “siomai” or “wanton” (though this type is a bit thick) wrapper form as you would like them to look.
Over boiling water, steam for 5 minutes. Done.
For the best of heaven, enjoy with soy sauce-fried garlic-fried chili pepper-“calamansi” dip.

(Click here to email me should you have further questions)