Asian Inspired Soy Marinated Pork Sandwiches

Usually I do not venture too far outside of the ordinary in my house. We like what we like, and frankly I don’t like wasting food on “trying out” a new recipe. BUT there are a few key things I look for when trying something new.

It can not have more than one ingredient in it that I don’t already buy. What is the point of trying something new, if every time you want to make it you have to purchase $20 extra in food you don’t buy regularly. I am all for stepping out of your box, but not out of your budget.

It has to contain at least two ingredients that I know my family will like. Certain seasonings, proteins, or methods of cooking — that I know my family won’t say no to. In the case of this recipe it was soy sauce, pork, and the fact it is a sandwich!

It can not take all day to prep and cook. Unless it’s in the crock-pot, of course! But really, I am not going to be in the kitchen, at the stove or cutting board, for longer than an hour. If I have to devote that much time to a meal, its not worth it. It won’t work out in the long run & I just don’t have that kind of time to take out from being with my family to make food. Just a fact. 😉

So with all of that in mind, while I was flipping through an old Cooking Light magazine** I found this recipe & it was enough for me to try it! I did tweak A LOT of the recipe to make it work with what I have on hand. So reference the original too and make this recipe fit your family.

**I frequently find old cooking magazines at the library. My local branch sells used books and magazines at the front desk. It’s a great way to test out a magazine before buying it, as well as support your library by purchasing them. I also donate my gently read magazines and books back, it’s a way to help your community that isn’t time consuming or labor intensive… Anyone can do it, including your kids!

Original Recipe: Cooking Light

Prep: 30 mins   |   Cook: 3 mins   |   Total: 30   |   6 servings  |   268 calories
(printable recipe here)

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp sesame oil
a pinch of ground ginger

3 boneless pork chops, trimmed & halved length wise **See TIPS

Slaw:
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup carrot, shaved -think vegetable peeler or grader for this
1/4 cup  red onion, thinly sliced half rings
a pinch of dried cilantro, or 1/4 cup fresh

6 buns of your choice, we use sesame seed Costanzo’s dinner rolls (in the photo I had used English Muffins in a pinch, these also did well)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a ziptop bag, shake until combined. Add pork slices; toss well to coat. Let pork mixture stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
2. While pork marinates, combine slaw dressing (rice vinegar, olive oil & sugar) in a medium bowl and whisk. Add in carrot and onion; toss to coat. Set a side but toss occasionally to redistribute dressing on slaw.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium to high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork; cook 3-4 minutes or until pork is cooked through. *This does not take long due to the thin cut of the pork, the center can appear slightly pink when cooked. Be careful not to over cook pork, which is easy to do & will dry the meat out.
4. Place a slice of pork on a bottom bun, cover with a pinch of slaw and enjoy!

TIPS

• This is the type of boneless pork chop that I regularly purchase at Wegman’s. I then take 3 of them and slice them in half, length wise. Think “butterfly cut” you want to end up with 6 thin “patty” sized, not bite sized slices (though that works as well).
• It may seem like there are several “out of the ordinary” ingredients on this list. But if you frequently cook Asian cuisine, you will want sesame oil, rice vinegar, and ginger on hand in your pantry.
• I serve this meal with a steamed veggie or side salad. Would even go well with rice!

I never thought that any of us would enjoy a meal like this. But with the rave reviews I had to mark this one as VIP in my cookbook. And really, a meal that is ready in 30 minutes AND has everyone asking for seconds? Makes us all look like a MasterChef doesn’t it!!

Love this? Tried it? Share your meal photos on my Facebook page, tag them on Instagram & Twitter with #MadeByMeggs or even comment below! I’d love to see what you enjoy! Don’t forget to check out more of what inspires me on Pinterest. xoxo Meggs

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