Hand-Pulled Mongolian Pork with Lettuce Cups

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YIELD: 24 SERVINGS

For the pork:

20 lbs. pork butt, trimmed of excess fat

8 cups soy sauce

8 cups orange juice

2 lbs. fresh ginger, crushed

3 cups dried Szechuan chiles

20 pieces star anise

For plating:

¾ cup oyster sauce

¾ cup xiao shing wine

¼ cup sesame oil

2 ¼ cups vegetable oil

24 cups shredded Napa cabbage

12 cups bean sprouts

¼ cup minced garlic

6 cups scallions, julienned

12 red Fresno chiles, sliced

120 butter lettuce leaves or iceberg lettuce cups

hoisin sauce, to serve on the side

1. In large pot, combine pork, soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, Szechuan chiles and anise. Add enough water to cover pork; bring to a boil. Transfer pot to 350°F oven; cook 2-3 hours or until pork is fork-tender. Remove pork; cool and shred by hand. Strain braising liquid; chill and remove solidified fat.
2. For each serving, to order, mix together 1 ½ Tbsps. reserved pork braising liquid, 1 ½ tsps. oyster sauce, 1 ½ tsps. xiao shing wine and ½ tsp. sesame oil. In wok or sauté pan, heat 1½ Tbsps. vegetable oil. Add 8 oz. pulled pork; stir fry until seared. Add 1 cup cabbage; mix well. Add ½ cup bean sprouts, ½ tsp. garlic, ½ tsp. ginger. Stir fry 1 to 2 minutes or until cabbage is wilted; add ¼ cup scallions and half a Fresno chile. Mound pork on platter with 5 pieces of lettuce and a bowl of hoisin sauce on the side.

Recipe: Chef Alexander Ong, Betelnut, San Francisco