Ginger Boneless Pork Shoulder¶

Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat, The Japanese Grill
Serves 4

In Japan, this pork preparation, called ton shoga yaki, is typically sliced first to make it faster to grill. (The thinly sliced, marinated pork can also be stir-fried, instead of grilled.) If you can’t find pork shoulder steaks, substitute ½-inch-thick slices of pork loin.

Ingredients

• 4 pork shoulder steaks (/2 inch thick), about 1 pound
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 1 tablespoon mirin

Directions

Using a meat pounder, mallet, or the side of a heavy knife or cleaver, pound the pork 6 times to tenderize and condense the meat.

Mix together the soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, sake, and mirin in a bowl to make the marinade. Pour three-fourths of the marinade into a baking dish or rimmed sheet pan and reserve the rest. Lay the pork shoulder in the marinade and flip the meat 4 times to generously coat all over. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes, turning once.

Preheat a grill to a two-zone fire (medium and hot). Grill the pork for about g minutes this way: Start on hot heat for about 1 minute, then shift the pork to medium heat.After about 3 minutes, flip the steaks and repeat the two-zone grilling on the other side. Once you turn the pork, brush with the reserved marinade. Grill for 1 more minute on hot heat to caramelize the marinade, flipping the pork 2 times and brushing with marinade after each turn. When the pork is ready, it’ll be glossy and juicy on the outside. Test for done-ness using “The ‘Nick-and-Peek’ Method”. Let the pork rest for about 3 minutes and serve.