Griot
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 9 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 6 servings
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 9 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Pork
Epis Marinade
Pikliz
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fry thermometer- For the pork: Place the pork in a large bowl. Add the sour orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, 1/2 cup of salt and 2 cups of water. Allow the pork to sit for 25 minutes, then drain and rinse it and return it to the bowl.
- For the epis marinade: Combine the vinegar, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, scallions, garlic, onion, shallot, Scotch bonnet pepper and celery in a blender. Blend on high until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add the cilantro, parsley and culantro and pulse until finely chopped. Drizzle in the olive oil and process until smooth and bright, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the mixture in the blender to the bowl with the pork. Add the seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Massage the seasonings into the pork. Cover and refrigerate the pork 8 hours or overnight.
- For the pikliz: Add the vinegar, crushed garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a blender and pulse until the pepper is finely chopped, about 1 minute. Place the carrot, red cabbage, green cabbage, onion and shallot in a medium glass bowl and toss until combined. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Refrigerate so the flavors blend.
- Add the marinated pork, scallion and bay leaf to a stock pot on medium-high heat and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low to simmer until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Drain the pork into a colander and allow excess liquid to drip away.
- Fill a Dutch oven with 2 1/2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Working in batches, carefully add the pork to the hot oil and fry until deep caramel brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Pay attention to the temperature and adjust the heat as needed. Transfer to the rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining pork. Squeeze sour orange over the finished fried pieces. Serve the pork topped with the finely chopped parsley and with the pikliz on the side.
Cook’s Note
Marinating overnight is ideal for allowing the pork to get super tender.
