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THE HUGGINS FAMILY

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Category: Sous Vide

  • Korean Pulled-Pork Tacos

    Korean Pulled-Pork Tacos

    Inspired by the flavors of Korean bulgogi and Mexican street tacos, this fusion dish brings together tender sous-vide pork shoulder marinated in a sweet-savory Korean-style sauce, then shredded, crisped, and served in warm tortillas with fresh toppings. The result is rich umami, bright acidity, and a touch of heat—echoing the street-food creativity that made Korean tacos famous. It’s also fast becoming one of our family’s most requested Sunday dinners, especially when served with cilantro lime rice made with a hint of coconut milk. Around our table, there’s still a friendly debate over which is better—corn tortillas for their texture, or soft flour tortillas that soak up every drop of sauce.

    Ingredients

    • 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

    Marinade:

    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • 2 tsp ajinomoto (optional)
    • 4 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
    • 4 tsp sambal oelek
    • 3 tbsp sesame oil
    • ⅔ cup mirin
    • ½ cup soy sauce
    • 1–1½ tsp liquid smoke

    Finishing Brush:

    • ½ cup reserved marinade + ½ cup honey

    Creamy Drizzle:

    • ¼ cup reserved marinade base
    • 1 cup Greek yogurt
    • 2–3 tbsp fresh lime juice (adjust to taste)
    • 1 tsp gochujang or extra sambal (optional)
    • or substitute Cilantro Lime Crema

    Pickled Cucumber (and Optional Daikon):

    • 1 medium cucumber (or cucumber + daikon/radish), thinly sliced
    • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • ¼ tsp table salt
    • ½ tsp sesame oil

    Sriracha Slaw:

    • 2 cups shredded cabbage (green or mixed)
    • 1 cup shredded carrot
    • 2 tbsp lime juice
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 2–3 tbsp sriracha (to taste)
    • 2 tsp sugar (to taste)
    • ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional)
    • salt, to taste

    To Serve:

    • Corn or Flour tortillas (8–10, warmed)
    • Chopped fresh cilantro
    • Toasted sesame seeds
    • Diced raw onion
    • Lime wedges

    Directions

    Marinate the Pork

    Mix all marinade ingredients. Reserve ¾ cup of the mixture: ½ cup for the finishing brush, ¼ cup for the creamy drizzle. Add the remaining marinade to the pork in a sealed bag. Refrigerate 8–12 hours.

    Sous-Vide the Pork

    Heat sous-vide bath to 165°F (74°C). Cook sealed pork 18–24 hours. This produces a tender, shreddable texture.

    Make the Pickled Cucumber

    Combine cucumber with vinegar, sugar, salt, and sesame oil. Rest 10–15 minutes; drain lightly.

    Make the Sriracha Slaw

    Toss cabbage and carrot with lime juice, sesame oil, sriracha, and salt.

    Make the Creamy Drizzle

    Whisk ¼ cup reserved marinade with yogurt, lime juice, and optional gochujang or sambal.

    Shred and Crisp the Pork

    Remove pork and reserve cooking juices. Shred pork. Spread on sheet pan and brush with the finishing mixture. Broil until edges crisp. Drizzle ⅓–½ cup of the reserved cooking juices over pork to keep it moist.

    Assemble the Tacos

    Warm tortillas. Layer pork, pickled cucumber, and slaw. Top with the creamy drizzle (or Cilantro Lime Crema). Garnish with cilantro, sesame seeds, onion, and lime.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Use evenly sized pork pieces for consistent sous-vide cooking.
    • Reserved cooking juices add essential moisture and depth.
    • Monitor broiling closely—honey burns fast.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve with cilantro-lime rice, sliced avocado, cabbage slaw, pickled onions, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
    • Substitute cilantro-lime crema for the creamy drizzle, or as another flavorful addition—the combination of both sauces is delicious.
    • A squeeze of fresh lime brightens the flavors.

    Variations

    • Swap pork shoulder for boneless beef short ribs.
    • Use corn tortillas for a lighter street-taco style.
    • Increase sambal or gochujang for extra heat.

    Make-Ahead & Storage

    • Sous-vide pork can be made 1 day ahead; chill in ice bath before refrigerating.
    • Store shredded pork with 2–3 tbsp cooking juices; refrigerate 3–4 days or freeze 2–3 months.
    • Briefly re-broil to restore crisp edges before serving.
  • Babi Panggang

    Babi Panggang

    Working in the office in the city of Bussum in The Netherlands, we’d often order take-out from our favorite Chinese-Indonesian restaurant, Tong Fong, in the neighboring city of Hilversum. One stand-out item was their delicious Babi Panggang, which was always a part of our order. I later learned that Babi Panggang is the most ordered main dish at Indonesian restaurants throughout the Netherlands. This is my attempt to recreate the vibrant flavors and textures of this delicious dish.

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb pork shoulder or belly

      • Marinade

    • ¼ cup ketjap manis
    • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
    • 2 tbsp rice cooking wine
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
    • 1 tbsp fish sauce
    • ½ tbsp sambal oelek
    • ½ tbsp sambal badjak
    • ½ tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
    • ¼ tsp Chinese five spice (optional)
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • Juice and zest of 1 lime

      • Sweet & Sour Red Sauce

    • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsp grated ginger
    • ½ tsp sambal oelek
    • 3 tbsp tomato paste
    • ¼ tsp chicken powder
    • ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
    • 3 tbsp ketchup
    • 2 tbsp lime juice
    • 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
    • 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
    • 1 tbsp ketjap manis
    • 1 tsp fish sauce
    • ¾ cup chicken stock or water
    • ¼ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
    • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water

    Directions

    Marinate the Pork

    Combine all marinade ingredients, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour into a resealable container or vacuum-seal bag. Add the pork, coating thoroughly. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 4–12 hours.

    Sweet & Sour Red Sauce

    Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until lightly browned; add garlic, ginger, and sambal, and cook until fragrant. Add tomato paste and chicken powder; cook 1 minute to develop sweetness.

    Stir in sweet chili sauce, ketchup, lime juice, vinegar, tamarind, ketjap manis, fish sauce, stock or water, and brown sugar. Simmer 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer until glossy and thickened. Blend with an immersion blender and adjust thickness with additional stock, if needed.

    Preparation #1: Sous Vide

    Preheat sous vide bath to 170°F / 77°C for pork shoulder (130°F / 55°C for pork loin or tenderloin; 150°F / 65°C for pork belly). Submerge vacuum-sealed pork and marinade in the water bath and heat for 12–24 hours (2–8 hours for pork loin or tenderloin).

    Remove from the bag and pat dry. Brush with oil and finish under a broiler set to high for 4–5 minutes to crisp the top. Brush with red sauce during broiling and allow it to develop a few bits of char.

    Slice and serve over rice with a generous amount of sauce. Serve with acar ketimun (pickled vegetables), cucumber salad, fried cabbage, and/or blanched green beans tossed with garlic and sesame oil.

    Preparation #2: Oven

    Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Place pork on a rack in a baking tray. Reserve marinade and boil in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Roast pork for 30–40 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 190°F / 88°C, basting with the boiled marinade halfway through.

    Rest pork for 20 minutes. Pat dry, brush with oil, and finish under a broiler set to high for 4–5 minutes to crisp the top. Optionally, baste with the red sauce while broiling and allow it to develop slight char.

    Slice and serve over rice with a generous amount of sauce. Serve with acar ketimun, cucumber salad, fried cabbage, and/or blanched green beans tossed with garlic and sesame oil.

    Preparation #3: Pellet Grill

    Preheat pellet grill to 250°F / 120°C. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 187°F / 86°C, basting halfway through. Rest pork for 30 minutes.

    Pat dry, brush with oil, and finish under a broiler set to high for 4–5 minutes to crisp the top. Optionally, baste with the red sauce while broiling and allow it to develop light char.

    Slice and serve over rice with a generous amount of sauce. Serve with acar ketimun, cucumber salad, fried cabbage, and/or blanched green beans tossed with garlic and sesame oil.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Fattier cuts such as pork shoulder or belly are preferred, but pork loin or tenderloin (especially when using the sous vide method, with times and temperatures adjusted accordingly) can also be used. Take care not to overcook leaner cuts.
    • Preparation #1, Sous Vide, is the preferred method for the most tender and flavorful result.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve sliced Babi Panggang over rice with plenty of red sauce spooned on top.
    • Pair with acar ketimun, fried cabbage, cucumber salad, or blanched green beans with garlic and sesame oil.
  • Char Siu

    Char Siu

    With 60 first cousins on just the Huggins side, family parties are rarely small. It isn’t unusual to have 40 to 75 guests for dinner at our get-togethers. Cooking for that many people forces a bit of food-preparation creativity, and this char siu takes advantage of sous-vide precision to simplify the process. For a more traditional method, the pork can also be cooked and basted over a hot charcoal grill for deep, smoky flavor.

    Ingredients

    • 3–4 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 3–4 long strips, about 2 inches thick (see Notes for pork belly option)

      • Marinade:

    • ¾ cup soy sauce
    • ½ cup hoisin sauce
    • ½ cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
    • ½ cup rock sugar, crushed (or ¼ cup rock sugar + ¼ cup white sugar)
    • 2 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, adds depth)
    • 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
    • 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
    • ½ tsp ground white pepper
    • ⅛ tsp pink curing salt #1 (optional, for rosy interior)
    • 3–5 drops red food coloring (optional, classic look)

      • Glaze:

    • 1 cup reserved marinade, strained
    • ¼–⅓ cup honey

    Directions

    Marinate the Pork

    Whisk together all marinade ingredients except the curing salt and honey. Reserve 1 cup of marinade, strain, and refrigerate for the glaze.

    Add curing salt to the remaining marinade. Place pork strips in vacuum-seal bags or heavy zipper bags and add the marinade. Seal and refrigerate at least 8–12 hours, up to 24 hours.

    For best flavor and color penetration, turn the bags occasionally during marinating.

    Sous-Vide Cook

    Preheat the sous-vide water bath to 65°C (149°F). Submerge the sealed pork and cook for 12–16 hours.

    When done, remove the pork and transfer to a rack set over a sheet pan. Pat dry gently.

    Prepare the Glaze

    In a small saucepan, combine the reserved marinade with honey. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by about half and syrupy. Keep warm.

    Dry and Broil

    Let the pork rest uncovered on the rack for 15–20 minutes so the surface becomes slightly tacky. This helps the glaze adhere during broiling.

    Preheat your broiler (or charcoal grill) to very hot. Brush the pork with glaze and broil 6–8 minutes total, turning and re-glazing every 1–2 minutes until lacquered with caramelized edges and light char.

    Keep pork about 6 inches from the broiler to prevent burning. Final internal temperature should be approximately 68–70°C (155–158°F), though the meat is already fully cooked from the sous-vide process.

    Rest and Serve

    Let pork rest 5 minutes, then slice into thick pieces. Drizzle with warm glaze before serving.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Crushing rock sugar before measuring ensures accurate sweetness and easier dissolving.
    • Optional curing salt deepens the rosy color but does not affect flavor.
    • Turning the pork during marinating promotes even seasoning and color.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve over steamed jasmine rice or noodles.
    • Pair with pickled cucumbers or a crisp slaw to balance richness.
    • Excellent in bao buns or sliced thinly for fried rice.

    Variations

    • Pork Belly Version: Remove skin, cut into 1½–2-inch strips, reduce sugar to ⅓ cup total, sous-vide at 70°C (158°F) for 10–12 hours, broil from 8 inches away, glazing every minute.
    • Grill Instead of Broil: Cook over hot charcoal, glazing and turning every 1–2 minutes until lacquered.
    • Extra Caramelization: Increase honey in the glaze up to ½ cup for a deeper lacquer.

    Make-Ahead & Storage

    • Pork can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance.
    • Sous-vide cooked pork can be chilled in the sealed bags up to 48 hours before finishing.
    • Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated; broil briefly to refresh the glaze.