INSTANT POT MISO-BRAISED PORK BELLY TACO

Melissa Bouchard, DiMillo’s, Portland

This was the second most popular dish at our Instant Pot Super Bowl Cookoff. The subscriber/judges who voted for the tacos really loved them – even if one or two wished the pork belly had been crisper. “I like my tacos hot,” Bouchard said, “so I pickled up some Fresno peppers,” which she served with the tacos.

Serves 6

FOR THE PORK:

2 pounds pork belly

3 ounces white (or shiro) miso

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

FOR THE GINGER-PINEAPPLE SLAW:

1 jalapeño, chopped and stem removed

1/2 ounce fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup pineapple concentrate

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small cabbage, cut in quarters and then shred

FOR THE MISO MAYONNAISE:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white miso paste

Juice of half a lime

TO SERVE:

6 flour tortillas

Pickled Fresno peppers

TO MAKE THE PORK: Fill Instant Pot halfway with generously salted water and bring it to a boil. Blanch the pork belly in the water for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a baking sheet. Allow to cool completely.

Whisk together the miso, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger root and garlic. Place the blanched pork in a resealable freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the pork, seal the bag and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Remove the pork from the bag, reserving the marinade. Add the pork to Instant Pot, pour in the reserved marinade plus 3 cups water. Place on “manual high pressure” for 40 minutes, then do a quick steam release. Remove the pork from the pot and place on a cutting board to cool. When cool, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips.

Turn the Instant Pot on the “sauté” setting at medium high. Cook the pork strips until crispy, turning over as needed. Set the pork aside.

TO MAKE THE GINGER-PINEAPPLE SLAW: Mix together all but the cabbage to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and set aside.

TO MAKE THE MISO MAYONNAISE: Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth.

Turn the Instant Pot on the “sauté setting” at high heat. Fold each tortilla in half. Toast tortillas 1 at a time on both sides in the Instant Pot. Place on a warmed plate.

To assemble the taco, stripe the bottom of the tortilla shell with the miso mayonnaise. Place 2-3 pork belly strips in each tortilla shell. Top with the ginger-pineapple slaw and the Fresno peppers.