Transform an affordable cut of meat into a sweet and savory main dish! Hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, and a touch of sweetness come together in this pork marinade.
I don’t know about you but bone in pork butt or pork loin steaks are an underrated gem! In this dish they are the heroes and can hold their own. I love this recipe because it combines one of my favorite sauces - hoisin sauce - with fresh aromatics that go so well with the fatty richness of the pork.
According to The Spruce Eats, hoisin sauce is a sweet and salty sauce typically made from chilies, sugar, five spice seasoning, garlic, and fermented soybeans. Commonly used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking, hoisin sauce is used in a variety of ways. From flavoring stir frys, and meats such as pork and duck, hoisin sauce is also used as a complimentary dipping sauce. For this recipe, hoisin sauce will be used as a key ingredient for the marinade. In addition to hoisin sauce, you’ll need low sodium soy sauce, garlic-ginger paste, green onions, toasted sesame oil, sugar, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper for the marinade.
One note you should keep in mind when getting pork butt steaks or pork loin steaks from the grocery store is the presence of marbling in the pork. Marbling is seen in the streams of fat that are integrated throughout the muscle portions of the meat. These fatty pockets are going to tenderize and add a savory note to the sweet hoisin sauce. If there’s too much fat in or around the meat, the excess can be trimmed away.
To ensure that the marinade fully penetrates the pork, ½ inch cuts should be made into the sides of the pork and the marinade massaged in. Don’t go Edward Scissorhands here and slice all the way through or all the way to the bone of the meat!
INGREDIENT NOTES
You can substitute the 2 teaspoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon red chili flakes with 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce.
If you don’t have ginger-garlic paste, grate 3 cloves of garlic and 1 inch fresh ginger into a small bowl and combine with the remaining marinade ingredients.
TIPS & TRICKS
If serving with rice, start cooking the rice when the meat is roasting in the oven. By the time the pork and vegetables are done, you can serve with the rice.
When browning the meat, place the pork in 1 layer, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. If you have a smaller pan, sear the pork in batches.
If you don't have a cast iron skillet or oven safe pan, use any pan you have to brown the meat and saute the vegetables. Then, transfer the meat and vegetables to a baking dish to finish cooking in the oven.
Hoisin Ginger Pork
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marination time: 1 hour or overnight
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves 3-6
For the Marinade
1 pound bone in pork butt or loin steaks, halved
2.5 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste, divided
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 green onions, whites only
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Vegetables
1 large onion
2 cups carrots, diced or 4 large whole carrots
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ - ½ cup water
Garnish
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Green portions of the remaining green onion, sliced
Directions
1. Thinly slice the white portions of the green onions. Set aside the green sections for the garnish.
2. Place thawed pork loin/ pork butt steaks unto a cutting board and divide the steaks into two. Use a sharp knife to pierce several small slits into the meat approximately ½ inch deep. Do not poke holes through the meat.
3. To a large bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together and add the pierced meat to the marinade, mixing to evenly distribute. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
4. After marinating, remove the meat from the fridge and set aside. Then, prepare the vegetables. Peel and chop the carrots into bite sized pieces or leave whole. Then slice the white onion into ½ inch strips.
5. Heat a large cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil on medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the marinated pork. Sear on 1 side for 2-3 minutes. When the bottom is fully brown, turn over and repeat this process on all sides. When meat is completely browned, but not fully cooked, remove to a clean plate.
6. Lower the heat to medium and add the white onion and carrots. Saute until softened, approximately 5-6 minutes. The onions should be translucent and carrots slightly golden. Season to taste with salt and pepper. After 5-6 minutes, add 1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste and cook for an additional minute. Then, add the water and any remaining marinade and bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat and add in the browned pork.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the pork and bake in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Halfway through, baste the pork with the juices from the pan and continue baking for 10 minutes. When the pork is fully cooked, remove the skillet from the oven, let rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
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