Fermented Pork from Ham

Ingredients

• 250 g Pork Skin (defrosted, shredded, cut into small pieces)
• 30 g Fresh Ginger (peeled and sliced)
• 50 ml White Wine (dry, used to deodorize pork skin)
• 150 g Sugar (granulated)
• 6 g Salt (fine table salt)
• 250 ml Red Wine Vinegar (6% acidity, whole bottle used)
• 1 ml Food Red Coloring (use sparingly, about 1/5 tsp)
• 500 g Ham (unsmoked, pre‑sliced) (cut into half then into thin threads)
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil (neutral oil such as vegetable or canola)
• 10 g Garlic (for stir‑fry) (minced)
• 40 g Fish Sauce (adjust to taste)
• 150 ml Water (for cooking skin) (plain water)
• 8 g Roasted Rice Powder (toasted rice flour)
• 5 g Fresh Chili (about 3 chilies, minced, seeds removed)
• 20 g Garlic (for ham mixture) (minced finely)
• 10 g Whole Peppercorns (crushed)

Instructions

1. Defrost Pork Skin

   Place the frozen shredded pork skin in the refrigerator or under cold running water until fully thawed.

   Time: PT30M

2. Boil Water with Ginger

   In a pot, combine 1 L water and 30 g peeled ginger slices. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Add White Wine

   Add 50 ml dry white wine to the boiling ginger water and let it return to a boil.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 100°C

4. Blanch Pork Skin

   Add the thawed shredded pork skin to the boiling liquid. Boil quickly for about 1 minute while stirring to loosen the strands.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: 100°C

5. Rinse and Cut Skin

   Drain the skin in a sieve, rinse under cold running water until clear, then pat dry. Use scissors or a knife to cut the strands into small bite‑size pieces to prevent clumping.

   Time: PT5M

6. Prepare Sugar‑Salt Solution

   In a bowl, dissolve 150 g sugar and 6 g salt in 150 ml boiling water (or room‑temperature water) until fully dissolved.

   Time: PT5M

7. Slice Ham into Threads

   Take the 500 g pre‑sliced ham, cut each slice in half, then slice into thin threads (similar to shredded meat).

   Time: PT10M

8. Marinate Ham and Skin in Vinegar

   In a large bowl combine the 250 ml red wine vinegar, the sugar‑salt solution, 1 ml food red coloring, then add the ham threads and the boiled pork skin. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours (or overnight in the fridge).

   Time: PT3H

9. Drain Marinated Mixture

   After soaking, pour the mixture into a sieve and let excess vinegar drain completely.

   Time: PT5M

10. Stir‑Fry Garlic

    Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pan over medium‑high heat. Add 10 g minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: medium‑high

11. Add Boiled Skin

    Add the drained pork skin to the pan and stir‑fry for another 2 minutes so the skin absorbs the oil and garlic flavor.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: medium‑high

12. Season with Fish Sauce

    Pour in 40 g fish sauce, stir evenly and cook for 1 minute on medium heat.

    Time: PT1M

    Temperature: medium

13. Simmer with Water

    Add 150 ml water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5‑7 minutes (≈6 minutes) until the skin becomes soft and the liquid reduces.

    Time: PT6M

    Temperature: medium (≈90°C)

14. Add Red Coloring (Optional)

    Stir in a few more drops of food red coloring if a brighter hue is desired.

    Time: PT1M

15. Prepare Ham Seasoning

    In a bowl combine 8 g roasted rice powder, 5 g minced fresh chili (seeds removed), 20 g minced garlic, and 10 g crushed whole peppercorns. Mix well.

    Time: PT5M

16. Combine Ham with Cooked Skin

    Add the cooked pork skin to the seasoned ham mixture. Using gloves, mix thoroughly so the skin sticks to the ham threads.

    Time: PT2M

17. Bag and Remove Air Bubbles

    Transfer the combined mixture into a sealable plastic bag or tray. Flatten, then gently beat the bag to expel air bubbles. Fold the bag, turn it upside‑down, and flatten again.

    Time: PT5M

18. Press and Chill to Firm

    Place a heavy board or weight on top of the bag/tray and refrigerate for 8 hours (or 4‑8 hours) until the fermented pork becomes firm.

    Time: PT8H

19. Slice and Serve Cold

    Remove the firm block from the bag, slice into desired thickness, and serve cold. Optionally wrap each slice with a piece of garlic, chili and a laksa leaf for presentation.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

739

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

40 g

Fat

75 g

Fiber

0.5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Pork Skin: Pork rind, Pork belly skin
• Instead of White Wine: Dry sherry, Rice wine
• Instead of Sugar: Brown sugar, Honey (adjust amount)
• Instead of Red Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar, Apple cider vinegar (6% acidity)
• Instead of Food Red Coloring: Natural beet juice
• Instead of Ham (unsmoked, pre‑sliced): Cooked pork shoulder, Turkey ham
• Instead of Cooking Oil: Peanut oil, Sunflower oil
• Instead of Fish Sauce: Soy sauce (less salty)
• Instead of Roasted Rice Powder: Cornstarch
• Instead of Fresh Chili: Red pepper flakes
• Instead of Whole Peppercorns: Ground black pepper

Equipment Needed

• Pot
• Sieve/Colander
• Scissors or Kitchen Shears
• Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowl
• Pan or Wok
• Spatula or Wooden Spoon
• Plastic Food Wrap / Foil
• Plastic Bag (sealable)
• Heavy Board or Weight (optional)
• Refrigerator
• Stove

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Defrost pork skin completely
• Marinate ham and skin in vinegar for at least 3 hours
• Cook pork skin until soft but not over‑cooked
• Press and chill the mixture for 8 hours to achieve firm texture

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a high‑quality red wine vinegar for a cleaner flavor
• A pinch of sugar in the final stir‑fry balances the acidity
• For a brighter color, add food red coloring after the skin has softened, not before.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Airtight container, up to 1 week

Freezer: Portion in freezer‑safe bags, up to 2 months

Room temperature: Not recommended; keep refrigerated

Make-Ahead Tips

• The vinegar soak can be done overnight for deeper flavor
• Cooked pork skin can be prepared a day ahead and stored refrigerated
• The final pressed block can be sliced and frozen for later use