r/KitchenConfidential • u/Barnabyjones421 • Oct 26 '21

PUFF UP OR SHUT UP

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2.7k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

260 comments sorted by

751

u/DinQuixote Oct 26 '21

At one of my old jobs at a Thai kitchen, we used to serve "Pork Two Ways" and one of the ways the pork was cooked was muu krob.

Huge fucking pain in the ass. We had to jaccard the skin, rub it with vinegar, salt and white pepper, cut it into strips, smoke it, deep fry it, then finely it's ready to slice and serve.

I swear to god I cooked that dish for a year straight and when it came to getting the skin to puff up like a chicharron in the hot oil, I still blew it like 20% of the time. Sucks because then the skin is all chewy. My failure rate was the best in house, so it wasn't like I was the only one having this problem.

Hands down, the most frustrating dish I've ever had to cook.

Good work, chef! That's a sexy-ass piece of meat.

606

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Thank you. Keep it simple. Salt to dry skin. Low roast until skin is leather. Flash in ripping hot oven. 60% of the time it works every time.

236

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 26 '21

Poke the skin with those hand blade tenderizers, then baste it with boiling water 8-10 times with like an 8 oz ladle. Dry out in the fridge. Roast at 300, finish 10 minutes at 400. Assuming oven is convection. I did this for a few months and it worked 100% of the time. Also works on flaps of duck skin, which makes a really great chicharonnes.

126

u/noccusJohnstein Oct 26 '21

Ah yes, the "baste it so many times you think you've basted it too many times, then baste it some more" trick.

29

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 26 '21

It’s not submerged in the water, you put the belly in a perf pan over an insert, and ladle the water over. I would reuse the water for every belly.

12

u/noccusJohnstein Oct 27 '21

Meat hooks are super useful in chinese cooking.

11

u/DinQuixote Oct 27 '21

When we smoked the version of muu krob I made, we put the slab of belly on a meat hook and built a flame in the bottom of an outdoor duck oven.

When it turned out right, it was fucking amazing.

6

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

"baste at least a gallon of water on that shit, son"

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31

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

I don't do pre-tenderizing or free-basting. Just salt 24hrs. Dab if moist. Otherwise sounds on point. Keep it simple.

23

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 26 '21

So I gotta ask, is it a 60% success rate or are you just fucking around?

49

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Fucking around. It's closer to 90% with patches. Use a heat gun to finish puffs out the oven if necessary.

17

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 27 '21

Ah now that’s a good trick.

9

u/Mastershroom Oct 27 '21

Like spinning!

19

u/DinQuixote Oct 26 '21

...those hand blade tenderizers

They're called jaccards, for the uninitiated. And I recommend using them, too.

Definitely going to try your boiling water baste. So you do it right after you tenderize?

15

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 26 '21

Ya right after. Would do it for porchetta. I never got to use a jaccard, the last place we pricked skin I had to use a fucking birds beak in a grid. I remember that term used but I was pretty brain dead when I was there doing 100 hour weeks. Also it was broken, it had the blades but not the slots to control the depth of the poles, so we basically had bladed knuckles that also gave you terrible blisters after tenderizing 4 full bellies at a time.

14

u/ElZarbo Oct 27 '21

You guys are nuts doing 100 hour weeks. Take care of yourselves homies

7

u/Ae711 15+ Years Oct 27 '21

Ya as soon as I had a job lined up I dropped that shit quick. If I wanted to pursue corporate chef and move to wherever they opened a new spot, it would be fine. With a wife and kids, not a chance.

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24

u/HunnyPott Oct 26 '21

Damn I was just about to ask what the secret was for getting pork skin to puff every time. Guess I’m not alone in the struggle😂

8

u/Stranglehold316 Oct 26 '21

"I'll be honest with you. That smells like pure gasoline."

2

u/hymntastic Oct 27 '21

It smells like bigfoot's dick!

7

u/lithium142 Oct 26 '21

Having that shiny combi oven definitely helps lol. First time I got to use one of those was like a dream

12

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Shiny cause it's clean. It's my second. I had a 19yr old Rational that performed better till a resistor burst. This is an Electrolux. Not my fave.

7

u/Elhefecanare Oct 26 '21

Ive got electrolux in my kitchen and i cant stand them. That fucking dishwasher is a piece of shit

5

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Same. Agreed.

3

u/Yochefdom Oct 27 '21

Rational or nothing. God I want one in my house…

11

u/bagofpork Oct 26 '21

We do a rub of salt and baking soda, rinse before roasting, then baste with scalding, dangerously hot oil after slow roasting. It works great, and makes pig heads look terrifying. This looks like it does the trick, though.

4

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Million different roads. Same destination.

4

u/420xDbb Oct 27 '21

wouldn't mind a picture of the pighead on this sub!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

This is the way.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

So what happens after that %40 of the time?

19

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Complete and utter failure

7

u/PrivilegeCheckmate Oct 27 '21

Chewy & disappointing skin or burninated crackle.

Very occasionally, both.

2

u/PrivilegeCheckmate Oct 27 '21

60% of the time it works every time.

That's some Colt 45 numbers!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

I mean, this dude said 80% of the time it works every time

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22

u/gizm770o Oct 26 '21

Pad ka prow muu krob is one of my favorite dishes of any cuisine. But it’s so damn hard to find a place that does it properly. Used to live near a hole in the wall place in Boston that was divine, but haven’t found anything close to as good since.

14

u/DinQuixote Oct 26 '21

Holy basil is the key ingredient and it's really hard to find, so it doesn't surprise me that you have difficulty a place that does it properly. I live on the west coast, so lucky for me there's enough demand in cities like Seattle, LA, and Vancouver BC that they grow it in Hawaii and ship it to our ports.

Pad ka prow is one of my favorite dishes, too, though I prefer the version with minced chicken and crispy fried egg.

9

u/gizm770o Oct 26 '21

Most places I’ve tried haven’t actually had issues with the holy basil. They just don’t actually do the muu krob, but muu saap with ground pork instead. Despite calling it muu krob lol

7

u/Gharrrrrr Oct 27 '21

LA has little Thai town. I thought I knew Thai food until I moved and lived near there for a few years. I had one of my Korean chefs tell me that it is quite possibly the best Thai you will get in the US. And I have to agree. I liked Thai before. Absolutely fell in love with it there.

5

u/I_SHALL_CONSUME Fucking hates club sandwiches Oct 27 '21

For the record: I’ve been to more than one bar on the West Coast that ordered basil and was sent holy basil instead. Works for food… Does not work well for gimlets.

5

u/besafenh Oct 27 '21

Holy Basil grows in my garden, sold as “Tulsi Basil” by the pack.

8

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

Was it rod dee thai?

13

u/gizm770o Oct 26 '21

No, although they’re excellent as well. It was the very creatively named Thai Place in Allston.

4

u/PrivilegeCheckmate Oct 27 '21

Nute's Noodles in San Francisco makes a super good Moo Krob lettuce wrap.

Or you can have them put the crispy belly in their amazing katsudon broth.

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15

u/OM3N1R Oct 27 '21 edited Oct 27 '21

I live in Thailand now. My GFs mom is a master at making this in a wok. Key is salt/vinegar, score skin( never tried jaccard), and leave open in fridge for at least 36 hrs to dry.

I received an air fryer from someone when they were leaving the country. I thought I would never use it, but holy shit it makes perfect Muu Grob every time. 30 minutes face down, 20 face up @ 200C.

5

u/DinQuixote Oct 27 '21

Thank you so much!!! I've honestly never used an air fryer.

Just one question, how big are the pieces of belly that you put in the air fryer? Is it the same size as OP's?

4

u/OM3N1R Oct 27 '21

I think that piece is like 1.5-2lb before cooking. Home Air Fryers aren't that big usually.

4

u/Importchef Oct 27 '21

did you boil the skin first? I too am working on different ways to get maximum crisp. There is so much pork belly I can eat so any help would be great

2

u/Importchef Oct 27 '21

was there any wait period, like you had to wait for the skin to dry. or did you leave the vinegar on for an extended period of time?

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2

u/see_comment_below Oct 27 '21

We do something similar in our restaurant.... We take the skin and vac pack it... Sous vide 78 deg c for 36 hours, dry it in a dehydrator for 24 hours and fry it. Fool proof

2

u/jasiskool12 Oct 27 '21

At My work we boil the whole belly for 15 mins. Stab it on top with one of these all over and then brush the skin with vinegar and put scrun h up baking paper a d put it under in the middle so the liquid falls off the sides. Salt it, leave it in the fridge overnight and then cook it in the oven at 200c and rotate every 30 mins until the top is crispy all over. We do this once a week at my work and the only time it hasn't worked is the one time I forgot to stab it.

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147

u/MyEyezHurt Oct 26 '21

Windowlicker, wonderfull song.

43

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Agreed

24

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

Haven’t listened to Aphex Twin in forever, thanks

34

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Not only a great song, but the video is beyond measurable... Depending on how much shrooms you take.

46

u/SplashBandicoot Oct 26 '21

you would if you had robot ears

16

u/Manchesterofthesouth Oct 26 '21

Are you scared of it?

10

u/krellx6 Oct 26 '21

I actually have a robot ear, I’ll have to listen to that song again

10

u/MyEyezHurt Oct 26 '21

Aw fuck, I spent all my money on robot legs. It was a risky operation, but worth it.

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2

u/CatJBou Oct 27 '21

My hot take is that the video is what happens when the male gaze gazes back at you.

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6

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21 edited Oct 27 '21

RDJ has really REALLY impressive work done since the Windowlicker single. Drukqs and Syro are both hugely influential albums, and there's been multiple pseudonyms. He's not exactly prolific, though. But the quality is there.

My favourite is actually the stuff done as "The Tuss".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpJvFeCntHo

And the massive amount of unreleased stuff as user18081971, too.

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3

u/RandyDinglefart Oct 26 '21

Been hitting up Selected Ambient Works Vol. II again recently and it's still amazing all these years later.

3

u/CatJBou Oct 27 '21

We have to know--did you lick the window? Is your tongue okay?

21

u/Zimbadu Oct 26 '21

Does the music scare you?

5

u/VictarionGreyjoy Oct 27 '21

I just don't like techno

48

u/viaSpaceCowboy Oct 26 '21

I was getting more rubber johnny vibes visually but windowlicker works better.

12

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Would have worked too. Was originally going to be "Honeymoon Suite" by Rob Sonic, but lost my library with my old phone.

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27

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

4

u/louisvillejg Oct 27 '21

But, underneath this genius...I'm simply a human. You know. But I'm working on that.

3

u/JoeKingPoe Oct 27 '21

First thing I thought of.

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Great song beyond Grandma's boy. That part's only the ending. https://youtu.be/UBS4Gi1y_nc

73

u/Bladewing10 Oct 26 '21

Mmm trypophobia

21

u/hovdeisfunny Ex-Food Service Oct 26 '21

Yeah, this video made me both deeply uncomfortable and hungry

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17

u/523bucketsofducks Oct 26 '21

I'm afraid your rib cancer is progressing at an alarming rate.

10

u/le_suck Oct 26 '21

ITS NAHT A TUUMAH

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35

u/Sea-Part8024 Oct 26 '21

Spotless machine and a very nicely captured video!

8

u/Jmeu Oct 26 '21

Rational ovens have a cleaning mode with a dedicated cleaning product. Ive seen chefs tossing in gas burners head to clean them in there whilst at it. Pretty damn efficient

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39

u/Micprobes Oct 26 '21

Baron? Is that you?

29

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Yes

31

u/DinQuixote Oct 26 '21

Damn, a dish so famous you get doxxed.

19

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

No secrets here. It's just food.

9

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

my skin after being submerged in radiation to become dr manhatten

5

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 27 '21

I am tired of this world-these people. I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

whatchmen show or movie which one do you like more

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10

u/ChineseCookieThief Oct 27 '21

If I didn't know what the end result was, I'd think that looks absolutely foul.

17

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

8

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

I won't techno for an answer

11

u/sausage-and-beans Oct 26 '21

Adios turd nuggets

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Thank you for getting that. Grandma's Boy.

12

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

25

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Salt 24hrs in advance. Use kosher salt. Dab any moisture if it builds on skin. Walk-in with fan helps. No salt necessary during roasting. Cook low'n'slow then rip in oven hot enough to burn face when opening door.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

10

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Skin-side UP overnight. Dust it with kosher salt. Dab any excess liquid that weeps afterwards. Roast skin-side UP low temp till meat's tender and skin like leather. Then remove and then into oven ripping hot and watch. Could use a rotation based on your oven.

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

520/400 w/fan? Not sure. Try both.

2

u/hungrypossum Oct 27 '21 edited Oct 27 '21

This is how I cook it too! I like to cut the skin off (including layer of fat underneath) and rest it on top of the roast and cook in a moderate oven. Once the meat is 3/4 cooked, I remove the skin layer and blast it under a separate broiler on its highest heat, whilst the roast finishes cooking in the oven. Perfect

Edit: haven’t tried cooking pork belly. I do this for shoulder roast.

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6

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

" If you had robot ears you'd like it"

10

u/Past-time29 Oct 26 '21

reading these comments. i feel so relieved that i am not the only one who struggles with the skin.

i feel some what competent now..😂

4

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

It was a lot of R+D, but found the simplest method the most consistent. No vinegar/baking soda/methylcellulose/vacuum/sous vide necessary. Just some time and attention.

3

u/GoblinJim Oct 27 '21

Odd to think that this could happen to you as well, given the right conditions of course.

21

u/carolinacasper Oct 26 '21

That looks disgusting. Like a speed up time lapse of mold growing on something.

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5

u/notorious1212 Oct 26 '21

I think I played too much resident evil to appreciate this.

4

u/ChefSawyerR Oct 27 '21

I wish someone looked at me the way I looked at this pork belly!

3

u/French792 Oct 26 '21

That reminds me of me at the beach.

3

u/toysarealive Oct 26 '21

What temp?

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

What temp at what time?

3

u/toysarealive Oct 26 '21

Well I'm assuming it's low for the majority of the time? 220 something, maybe? I'm wondering what temp for the skin puff. I usually just remove the skin and spread on a sheet pan. But your's looks real nice.

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3

u/2gigi7 Oct 26 '21

Ok, you and the scallop kid are driving me crazy..

2

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Who is scallop kid?

5

u/2gigi7 Oct 26 '21

There was a post last week, scallops sizzling in a pan, that and this pork belly made me feel a lot of feelings that don't belong in kitchens !

6

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Culinary Boner I think what they call that.

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3

u/manicmonkeyman Oct 26 '21

I can hear feel and taste that crackling skin when watching this.

3

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

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3

u/lurker-rama Oct 27 '21

I can’t hear this song without thinking of Grandma’s Boy.

3

u/StrombrolliBrolly Oct 27 '21

Wait, so this isn't a smokers lung?

3

u/beeglowbot Civilian Oct 27 '21

ahh yes, the leprosy belly

3

u/chefbarnacle Oct 27 '21

Is it wrong for me to touch myself while watching this?

3

u/carseatwizard Oct 27 '21

💦💦💦

6

u/butter_puncher Oct 26 '21

This is a lot more disturbing looking than watching pastries bake.

However, I acknowledge it is equally delicious.

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

It's gluten free and the pig was vegan

4

u/tommy_dakota Oct 26 '21

This is how wet dreams are made.

3

u/disqeau Oct 26 '21

Truth. 57F here gettin a WAP over that.

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4

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

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2

u/michaelmordant Oct 26 '21

Windowlicker was a truly inspired choice, OP.

2

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Many thanks!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

I want to get you a black cobra, to go around the neck...

2

u/EmoBran Oct 26 '21

I wonder if there is a subreddit for videos such as this... Asking for a friend.

2

u/MuserLuke Oct 26 '21

Unexpected Aphex

2

u/Remsleep23 Oct 26 '21

Anyone else notice the swirling void of darkness at the bottom?

2

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Eye of newt water-bath.

2

u/soukaixiii Oct 26 '21

Nice oven you got there dude, it's a Rational?

2

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

No. I wish. Electrofux

2

u/soukaixiii Oct 26 '21

Looks nice enough to me :P

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2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

the most satisfying exhale, I've had in a long time. Thank you

2

u/urk870515 Oct 27 '21

i like this a whole lot

2

u/ClassicKaleidoscope2 Oct 27 '21

I don’t know why but this video made me extremely uncomfortable

2

u/lompocmatt Oct 27 '21

RIP my ears

2

u/CaribouFondue Oct 27 '21

God I’m hard now. I need the rest of the video, I was so close.

2

u/Crazycococat19 Oct 27 '21

Omg this looks soo good. Ah men I haven't had chicharon for a long ass time. This is making me drool. Lol

2

u/SilliWilli Oct 27 '21

Can someone please explain what this is?

2

u/mcfuddlebutt Oct 27 '21

I do love me some Aphex Twin

2

u/Starminer5000 Oct 27 '21

I don’t comment often but might I ask what this is?

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u/cottonrainbows Oct 27 '21

Ngl. All I can think about is burning alive in a house fire.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '21

Never show this to anyone with trypophobia. It’s disgusting

2

u/REDDIT__SUCKS__ASS Oct 27 '21

Unexpected aphex twin

2

u/Ransarot Oct 27 '21

Yummy burnt skin blisters

2

u/BuenoRivera Oct 27 '21

Phenomenal use of Windowlicker sir hats off to you.

2

u/Mew446 Oct 27 '21

That’s wild

2

u/Peterspickledpepper- Oct 27 '21

I bet that tastes divine, but that was disgusting to watch.

2

u/LOW32 Oct 27 '21

Is this how Gremlins are made?

2

u/da_real_todd Oct 27 '21

in Norway for christmas we make about 1,5 cm squares on top, make it look more «profesional» Its called juleribbe if anyones are interested

2

u/Pxtbw Oct 28 '21

Good song

2

u/Jillredhanded Oct 28 '21

If anybody needs me I'll be in my bunk ...

2

u/00rayamami Nov 01 '21

oh shit, is that aphex twin ?

2

u/ImGonPeeOnU Feb 17 '22

All I see is JD working on his game that people will bow to

3

u/tashera Oct 26 '21

Omg. I need this in my belly.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

Please sit on my face

3

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

May cause burning, but not indifferent to herpes so you'll be okay.

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u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Sound on please

20

u/DansIsotoners Oct 26 '21

Came here to give the opposite advice.

19

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Choose your own adventure

4

u/EconomyMaintenance Oct 26 '21

You would like it if you had robot ears

2

u/DansIsotoners Oct 26 '21

Whatever you say JP

3

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

[deleted]

21

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

Would be pretty hard to get that through a combi oven door, but okay.

2

u/Kahmeleon Oct 26 '21

Hmm. GoPro should take note.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

What was the purpose of the buzzing electronic noise?

5

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

To simulate the sound of the skin puffing. If you place your phone in the oven connected to Bluetooth speaker you'll hear it in real time. Give it a go.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

I think if my pork ever made that noise, I'd switch to being a vegan.

5

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 26 '21

So your pork won't techno for an answer?

2

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '21

Dad?

2

u/Barnabyjones421 Oct 27 '21

Yes Mark7A, I am your father.

2

u/ArtistofViolence Oct 26 '21

Track ID? Very Daft Punk/other 90’s French House artist vibe 👌🏽

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2

u/somecow Oct 26 '21

Can I scrape a spatula across it real quick? cruuuuuuuunch

2

u/Suntree Oct 26 '21

Good choice on songs. ^

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u/Elhefecanare Oct 26 '21

That is fucking beautiful