Hot sauce specialists Jacob and Natalie Cutino have a new palate-pleasing condiment in their arsenal – and it goes great with smoked pork belly.
Initially released as a limited-edition flavor, Cutino Sauce Co.’s miso hot sauce was such a hit that it’s now part of the permanent lineup. Jacob and Natalie Cutino, the husband-and-wife team behind the small-batch sauce business, chose miso for its complexity and versatility. “It’s a good balance of acid, sweet and heat that makes it really versatile,” Jacob says. Put it on popcorn with butter, mix it with mayo to make an aioli, stir it into salad dressing for an extra kick – or follow this recipe to spice up smoked pork belly. Jacob says the sauce is “savory, umami and spicy,” and its unique flavor profile lends itself well to the unctuous protein. He recommends putting the pork belly in bao buns, serving it over rice or adding bamboo shoots and water chestnuts for the perfect stir fry.
Smoked Pork Belly & Miso Butter
Ingredients
1 skinless pork belly
For rub:
2 tbsp. granulated garlic
2 tbsp. red pepper powder
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. mustard powder
1 tbsp. white pepper
2 tbsp. kosher salt
¼ cup Chinese five spice
½ stick butter
2 oz. Cutino Sauce Co. Miso
3-4 Persian cucumbers
1 stalk daikon
1 carrot
¼cup toasted peanuts
¼cup cilantro sprigs
Optional: bao buns or jasmine rice
Instructions
• Rub belly with spices and let sit overnight, then smoke for six hours at 225 degrees .
• Let the belly rest for about 20 minutes, then place in the fridge to chill.
• Thinly slice cucumbers, daikon and carrots. Place in cold water to keep fresh.
• Steam bao buns or rice.
• Cut belly into 1 ½-inch pieces and sear in a hot cast iron pan until brown and crispy. Mix melted butter with miso sauce.
• Drizzle the sauce over the belly and serve with bao, rice or straight up. Top with (drained) vegetables, peanuts and cilantro.
