Kau Yuk

What the heck is it?
For most that see this recipe it”s not Kau Yuk as much as Kau “YUCK”. Fatty belly pork (uncured bacon) cooked three times, in three separate ways, to make the fat appear meaty. Flavored with a fermented red bean curd.

It’s one of my husband’s favorite comfort foods that I will only make for him maybe once a year. Not a healthy fair but if you are from Hawaii, you will appreciate this rendition which is more natural and not enhanced with red food dye. So, if the photo seems a bit pale and not as red as you are used to. Don’t adjust. That’s simply the way it looks when you make it without the enhancers.

Kau Yuk is one of those dishes that’s made with LOVE. Mostly because you have to love it which is an acquired taste and you have to truly LOVE IT to go through the process to make it. It’s not difficult to make so much as there are a lot of steps along with one $1.50 product that you will never use again with the exception of three cubes for this dish or if you are feeling ambitious you will use it to make char siu before it expires. So, if you are having a hankering for Kau Yuk. Bust the bank and buy the whole bottle of fermented red bean curd to make this dish and either toss out the bottle right then and there or let it have a slow death in your fridge until you clean it out and actually toss it out with reason.

KAU YUK
1 pound uncured pork belly, it will look like a slab of uncut bacon
3 Tblsp. oil for frying

SAUCE
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tblsp. dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 squares fermented red bean curd, plus 2 Tbsp. of the liquid
2 tsp. hoi sin
2 tsp. oyster sauce
a pinch five spice
1/2 whole star anise

• Cut the slab of pork belly in half so it will fit in the pot easily. Place both pieces in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down to low and let simmer for 30 min. Reserve ¼ cup broth.
• Remove from broth and dry with paper towels. With a fork, pierce the skin well. Dry it again with paper towels to remove most of the moisture before frying.
• Heat 3 Tblsp. of oil in a wok on med - high. Have a lid ready because it will splatter. Add pork pieces skin side down and cover. When you hear the popping stop, remove lid and deep fry on all sides until golden in color.
• Let pork cool. Optional; place pork in an ice bath to cool.
• Make the sauce. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to blend.
• When the pork is cool cut into ¼ inch thick slices and marinate the pieces in the sauce for at least 30 minutes, overnight would be best.

You can arrange pieces in the bowl you plan on steaming in after you toss with the sauce. Cover and let sit in the fridge until you are ready to steam.

• Arrange by fanning out in a bowl or pie plate and steam over med-high for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until soft. Watch the water level of your steamer and replenish with hot water as needed. OR Arrange skin side down in a bowl fat side down, so you can invert it onto a serving platter.
• Drain accumulated liquid from bowl into a wok or sauce pan and thicken with a cornstarch slurry and pour sauce over cooked pork belly.

1/24/2020 - I revised the recipe process, but not the sauce ingredients. This sauce has excellent flavor and I wouldn't change it.