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Bon Appétit

Crispy Pork Lettuce Wraps With Spicy Cucumbers

By Alison Roman

5.0

(1)

Image may contain Food Meal and Dish
Photo by Gentl & Hyers

Pork belly's back! Ask your butcher for a square piece: It'll make for even slices and a good fat-to-meat ratio.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    2 Servings

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) piece skin-on pork belly (about 4x3 1/2x1 1/4")
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
4 chiles de árbol
2 star anise pods
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Persian or kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 red chile (such as Fresno or jalapeño), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 tablespoons white miso
1 small head of lettuce (such as Little Gem or romaine hearts), torn
1/2 bunch mint
1/2 cup kimchi (optional)

Ingredient info:

Gochujang, a mixture of miso and hot chiles, is available at Korean markets and online.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Diagonally score fat side of pork belly, cutting through fat but stopping at flesh and spacing about 1/4" apart. Season pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at least 2 hours, or chill up to 2 days.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Unwrap pork and place in the smallest baking dish you can. Add chiles de árbol, star anise, soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 1/4 cups water. Roast until most of fat has rendered, meat is tender, and top is browned and crisp, 2–2 1/2 hours.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, toss cucumbers, scallions, red chile, and vinegar in a small bowl to combine. Mix gochujang and miso in another small bowl.

    Step 4

    Transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Pour off pan juices into a measuring glass. Skim fat from surface.

    Step 5

    Slice pork into 1/2" slices, transfer to a platter, and pour pan juices over. Serve with lettuce for wrapping and cucumber salad, mint, kimchi (if using), and gochugang-miso mixture for topping.

  2. Do Ahead

    Step 6

    Pork can be cooked 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat before serving.

TagsWrapAsianPork BellyPorkMeatRomaineLettuceLeafy GreensVegetableCucumberMainStarterDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeRoastBon Appétit

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