Macau Pork Chop Bun

The time has come, and it is today. Our phones are set to alarms, we have a brand new HDMI cable, FOX Live Streaming, and we’re crossing our fingers that our VPN will work with the apartment’s spotty internet connection so that we can watch the Super Bowl from Beijing with this tasty Macau Pork Chop Bun.

Many of us are looking forward to chowing down on some fried and/or carb-laden treats like nachos, hot wings, and pizza as the game starts. But here’s a really freaking decent choice for those of you trying to spice up your Super Bowl menu:

Macau’s famous pork chop bun.

Like many great creations, this sandwich was likely popularized by Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Macau episode in 2011.

It’s a pork chop marinated in Asian spices and cooked to perfection, served on a Portuguese roll; this incredibly fatty, incredibly delicious sandwich can dissolve a paper bag in less than 10 seconds.

Well, the big game day has here, and even though the Giants didn’t win, my MVP of this year’s Super Bowl is definitely this Macau Pork Chop Bun.

To replicate the marinade we enjoyed in Macau, I made one with similar tastes but is just a tad more intense. An additional American touch, a coating of cornflakes, was included to achieve the desired crispiness.

An ordinary sandwich is elevated to the level of “beer, football, and friends” status with the addition of a couple slices of raw onion. All of this is something we’ll be doing very early in the morning. You can prepare it for your Super Bowl party or a regular meal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 slices of about 3/4-inch thick boneless pork shoulder or pork loin
• 6 Portuguese rolls
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 sliced onion
• 2 cups of corn flakes
• ¼ cup of peanut oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon of five spice powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the pork, garlic, five spice powder, white pepper, sugar, salt, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Let the pork marinate in this for at least two hours and up to a day.
2. You may make coarse cornflakes and pepper blend by pulsing two cups of plain cornflakes and a half teaspoon of black pepper in a food processor. Put it on a plate. Peanut oil should be heated in a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Sprinkle the cornflakes evenly over each pork chop. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Place on a paper towel–lined platter and season with salt to taste.
4. Place a chop and some sliced onion on each roll. Combine with a frosty beer and savor.