The Pork Recipe I Always Come Back To and Why I Never Get Tired of It

One of the dishes I keep coming back to is something I learned years ago from a Japanese woman in my Spanish class. She was a little older than my mother and an amazing cook.

It starts with a large piece of pork. This time I used shoulder, because a bit of fat really matters here. The meat goes into a mixture of water, sugar, and salt, and it sits at room temperature for a full day. No rushing. Just patience.

After that, it moves to the refrigerator for two or three days to gently ferment. Lactic acid does its work. The pork becomes unbelievably tender, and it develops this very specific, slightly tangy aroma that tells you something good is happening (also I think my 7 months old baby smells like this lactic acid).

Once it is ready, you can do almost anything with it. Grill it. Add it to soup. Or dry it again and turn it into something close to cured meat. It is flexible, forgiving, and deeply satisfying.

I made a big batch recently because friends were coming over. One group had to cancel because they caught a cold, which meant I suddenly had a lot of pork at home. Honestly, it was not a problem. I enjoyed it slowly over several days, changing how I cooked it each time. That might be the best part of this recipe. It keeps giving.

This is one of my favorite things to cook. It feels old fashioned, a little wild, and very comforting. Full of fat, full of flavor, and full of time.

I am even considering teaching this in a future cooking class. Maybe as part of a survival class. Something practical, rich, and honest.