Today is the day. Even from Beijing, we plan to watch the SuperBowl, courtesy of our phone alarms (a 6:30 ET kick-off means a 7:30 AM kickoff here on the other side of the world), a brand new HDMI cable, FOX Live Streaming, and a hope and a prayer for our VPN and the apartment’s erratic internet connection.
Nachos, hot wings, pizza, and other carb-filled and/or fried delights await many of us as kick-off approaches. But if you’re looking to add something new to your Super Bowl menu, then we’ve got a pretty freaking good option for you right here:
The Macau Pork Chop Bun.
Probably made famous by Anthony Bourdain’s 2011 No Reservations Macau episode, this sandwich is—like many great inventions—the result of a clash between two cultures.
It’s a deep-fried Asian-marinated pork chop on a Portuguese roll–a juicy, chewy, just-greasy-enough creation that can soak through a paper bag in under 10 seconds.
We visited Macau last summer and went exploring in the old Taipa Village, a quaint town with some great restaurants. We also went to the Tai Lei Loi Kei–the Pork Chop Bun place featured on the show, and I knew that I’d have to recreate it for a Super Bowl party one day.
Well, that day is here, and though the Giants didn’t make it, this Macau Pork Chop Bun is the star of this year’s Super Bowl as far as I’m concerned.
I created a marinade similar to what we had in Macau–though with slightly stronger, more pronounced flavors. We also added an American element–a coating of cornflakes, to really get that crispy texture that can only be a good thing.
With the addition of a few slices of raw onion, you’ve got a sandwich fit for beer, football, and friends. We’re just going to be doing all that in the early hours of the morning. Make it for your Super Bowl festivities, or just for a regular lunch or dinner.
Recipe Instructions
Normally, we’d just buy the Portugese rolls from the local supermarket, but they’re not readily available here in China. We actually made our own, using this recipe, which was pretty simple.
In a large bowl, add the pork, minced garlic, five spice powder, sugar, salt, light soy sauce, white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch to make the marinade. Marinate the pork in this mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Put the two cups of plain corn flakes and the black pepper in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a plate. Heat the peanut oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium high heat.
If you like the original Macau pork chop bun, then skip this step for coating the pork and you get the authentic Macau Pork Chop bun. See photos of the original in our travel post, What to Eat in Macau.
Evenly coat each pork chop with the corn flake crumbs.
Fry each side for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
Put one chop on each roll with a healthy amount of sliced onion.
You can even do a double pork chop bun! Serve with an ice cold beer and enjoy. What did you guys make for Super Bowl Sunday this year?
Check out our latest update and Macau travel post on What to eat in Macau!
The Macau Pork Chop Bun
Ingredients
- 6 slices boneless pork shoulder or pork loin (about 3/4-inch thick)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups corn flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup peanut oil, for frying
- 6 Portuguese rolls
- 1 onion (sliced)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the pork, minced garlic, five spice powder, sugar, salt, soy sauce, white pepper, shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Marinate the pork in this mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Put the two cups of plain corn flakes and the black pepper in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a plate. Heat the peanut oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium high heat.
- Evenly coat each pork chop with the corn flake crumbs. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
- Put a chop on each roll with a healthy amount of sliced onion. Serve with an ice cold beer and enjoy.
