Bec’s Sticky Pork or Beef
I’m super excited to share my recipe for sticky pork or beef. But first, let’s dive into the magic of a master stock. Originating from China, this poaching liquid is a treasure trove of flavours, getting richer with each use. Imagine a stock passed down through generations, some even centuries old – that’s the beauty of a master stock!
Understanding Master Stock
Here’s the deal with master stocks: use them, freeze them, and reuse within a month. If you’re nearing the month-end and haven’t used it, just boil, cool, and refreeze. This helps especially if there’s fat in your stock – it prevents freezer burn and keeps your stock fresh.
Pro Tip: If your stock gets fatty (like after cooking pork belly), reduce it and store it in the fridge. The fat solidifies and acts as a natural seal. It’s safe there for a few weeks or more, as long as that fat seal remains unbroken.
Cooking tips for sticky pork belly
Sticky Pork or Beef
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becs-table.com.auIngredients
- Meat: 2 kg Beef short ribs or Pork Belly meaty and cut into 3-inch wide pieces
For the Master Stock:
- 100 g Ketchup manis sweet Asian sauce
- 150 g Shaoxing Wine
- 50 g Dark Soy Sauce
- 30 g Fish Sauce
- 20 g Mirin or extra palm sugar
- 3 Star Anise
- 2 tsp Cumin Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 Cassia Bark or Cinnamon Stick, broken
- 2 Shallots
- 1 Knob of Ginger
- 4 cloves Garlic
For the Roasting Pan:
- 4 Cardamom Pods
- 2 small Onions
- 2 small Carrots
- 2 stalks Celery
- 80 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 100 g Water or enough to cover the meat
- 100 ml Malt Vinegar
- 3 sprigs Thyme
- 1 tsp Heaped Salt flaked
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 500 g Brown Stock
- Juice and Rind of 1 Orange
- 100 g Tamarind dried or pulp
Instructions
Marinate:
- Ideally, marinate your meat overnight. Mix all marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. This recipe works great for 2 kg of meat. Marinate overnight if possible, then add the remaining ingredients the next day.
Cooking:
- Slow-cook at 110°C for 5-7 hours (adjust according to meat type and size). For pork belly, keep the top exposed for a crisp finish. Monitor the water level to avoid burning. For a caramelized crust, increase the heat towards the end, but keep a close eye!
Resting:
- After cooking, let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes (wrapped in foil and covered with a towel works great). Then, strain the stock for future use.
Storage:
- Remember to use the stock monthly, boiling and freezing as needed. Keep topping it up with sauce or spices for that growing umami flavor.
Notes
Want to know more?
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Hi Bec. This sounds amazing!!! I have all of the ingredients here so it’s on the menu tomorrow night. I will be using a whole pork shoulder. Just wondering if I should put it in the oven after cooking in the master stock to caramelise? Thanks SO much! Cynthia
Hi again Bec. Don’t worry about me (and my silly question). After re-reading, I understand that the port is cooked in the stock. An update …. stock made, pork happily marinading away ready for dinner tomorrow night 🙂
Sorry Cynthia for some reason I only just got your message. I hope it all went well. 😉
It was a HUGE success Bec. Thank you!!! That one’s definately going on the househould favourites list (and I’ve share it with friends and family). In fact I might have to get my master stock out for another workout this weekend 🙂
Brilliant Cynthia.
It will be so easy from now on. Just top up every so often but it’s ready in the freezer when ever you want it. 😉
Hi Bec.
Have a hankering for pork ribs and was wondering about suggested cooking times for cooking a rack or two.. 1kg+. Will marinate them at least overnight..
I think the flavours this mix would impart would be amazing. Interested in what you would do to get that yummy glazed effect or will that will just happen? Precooking & reheating .. dry them out too much?
Ciao for now,
Roma
Hi Roma,
Gosh, your making me have a hankering for them too. hehehee. Here are a couple of methods. 1 you can put them in a baking dish with enough of the master stock to cover them, at least by half. if there isn’t enough master stock you can top it up with water, it’s going to reduce anyway. Set your oven to about 100c nice and slow. I cook them till they are soft and succulent, keep checking the liquid level is high enough so that it doesn’t burn in the pan. Turn them over every so often so that they are getting an even coating of stock, once the meat is soft drain off the liquid and return them to the oven on a higher heat to caramelize. 2 you could pre cook them and when reheating create the beautiful glaze. You can cook them in the master stock, in a pressure cooker or a pot with a lid, once the meat is succulent finished them off in the oven at a high heat. How’s that sound. 😉
Oh yum…
Going away for a few days and plan on earning lots of brownie points from the sparerib lover in my life… will precook and drain off the liquid and just take the baking pan ready to caramelize them once we reach our destination. I may not last that long.. I’m itching to try that recipe now! Tony will be SO impressed…
Will let you know how it goes. xx
No worries Roma good luck with them. 😉
I see this is under thermomix recipes – but where are the conversion for thermomix – im slightly confused?
You are so right. There is no need to make this in your TM. I just use it to weigh and mix my first batch and any top up batches of master stock that I need over time.
Thnx for pointing it out, all fixed now.
Hi Bec, this recipe sounds great. I just wanted to know is it ok to freeze, re-cook, then refreeze stock? (I guess it’s ok as you’ve done it for 5 years) but just wanted your feedback before trying it out on kids. Thank Anna
Yes its fine Anna. As long as the temperature gets to boiling point it is all good. In the oven it will do that. Great question, others may have wondered the same thing. 😉