Hand-Pulled Mongolian Pork with Lettuce Cups

A spicy-sweet ginger and citrus marinade is at the base of this Asian-style hand-pulled pork. It’s stir-fried with Xaoshing wine—similar to dry sherry—and piled onto crisp butter lettuce leaves with hoisin sauce on the side. Serve plated at the table or rolled up and ready to grab-and-go.

At a glance

Main Ingredient

Pork, Vegetables

Cuisine Type

Asian

Menu Part

Appetizer

Serves

Yield: 24

Ingredients

Mongolian Pork
20 lb. pork butt, trimmed of excess fat
8 cups soy sauce
8 cups orange juice
2 lb. fresh ginger, crushed
3 cups dried Szechuan chilies
20 pieces star anise

Plating
3/4 cup oyster sauce
3/4 cup xiao shing wine
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 1/4 cups vegetable oil
24 cups shredded napa cabbage
12 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
6 cups julienned scallions
12 red Fresno chilies, sliced
120 butter lettuce leaves or iceberg lettuce cups
Hoisin Sauce

Methods/Steps

In a large pot, combine pork, soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, Szechuan chilies and star anise. Add enough water to cover pork. Bring to a boil.
Transfer pot to 350°F oven and cook 2 to 3 hr. or until pork is fork-tender.
Remove pork, cool then shred by hand.
Strain braising liquid; chill. Remove solidified fat.
For each serving, to order, mix together 1 1/2 tbsp. reserved pork braising liquid, 1 1/2 tsp. oyster sauce, 1 1/2 tsp. xaoshing wine and 1/2 tsp. sesame oil; set aside.
In wok or sauté pan, heat 1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Add 8 oz. pulled pork and stir-fry until seared. Add 1 cup cabbage; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/2 tsp. ginger and liquid mixture. Stir-fry 1 to 2 min. or until cabbage is wilted.
Add 1/4 cup scallions and half a Fresno chile.
To serve, mound pork on platter with 5 lettuce pieces and a bowl of hoisin sauce on the side.