Delicious Pork Belly and Asparagus Skewer Jeon
How to Make Pork Belly and Asparagus Skewer Jeon (Korean Pancake)
I found some lovely, small asparagus and decided to make these delightful pork belly and asparagus skewers. I pre-cooked the pork belly until golden brown, then sliced it lengthwise to match the length of the asparagus. Slicing the pork belly long before pan-frying made it easy to cut to the desired size and ensured it was fully cooked when I made the jeon, relieving any worries about undercooked meat. If matching the asparagus length is tricky, you can always detach the leaves and skewer them individually. Pork belly pairs wonderfully with vegetables, and it’s no different with asparagus – they are a perfect match! The slightly bitter taste of asparagus is beautifully balanced by the savory pork belly and the rich, binding egg coating, making it enjoyable even for those who aren’t usually fans of asparagus. For a simpler version, you can skip the skewers and just coat the asparagus in flour and egg and pan-fry it – it’s equally delicious! I’m already craving more of these asparagus jeons!
Ingredients- About 10 fresh asparagus spears
- 2 long strips of pork belly
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1/3 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For Washing and Sanitizing Asparagus- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 500ml water
For Sanitizing Skewers- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 50ml water
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 500ml water
For Sanitizing Skewers- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 50ml water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, trim the tough bottom ends of the asparagus spears and the pointed tips. You can also remove any loose outer leaves if they seem too tough or large.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine 500ml of water with 2 Tbsp of vinegar. Soak the prepared asparagus in this vinegar solution for about 10 minutes to sanitize them. After soaking, rinse the asparagus under cold running water and gently squeeze out excess moisture with your hands.
Step 3
Lightly sprinkle the asparagus with a pinch of salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This step helps to season the asparagus and enhance their flavor.
Step 4
Rinse the asparagus gently under running water again to remove any excess salt. Squeeze out the moisture thoroughly with your hands. Ensuring the asparagus is dry is crucial for the coating to adhere well.
Step 5
In a separate bowl, whisk the 3 eggs. Add 1/3 tsp of salt and beat until well combined. Prepare a wide plate with the pancake mix (buchim garu).
Step 6
To sanitize the skewers (toothpicks), soak them in a mixture of 50ml water and 1 Tbsp vinegar for a few minutes, or boil them in water for about 1 minute. Drain and pat them dry before use.
Step 7
Cut the pork belly strips in half crosswise. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the pork belly, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook until golden brown and slightly crispy. Pre-cooking the pork belly ensures it’s fully cooked in the final jeon.
Step 8
Once the pork belly is pre-cooked, remove it from the pan and slice it lengthwise into strips about 1cm wide. Aim for a length similar to the asparagus.
Step 9
Thread the pre-cooked pork belly and the prepared asparagus onto the skewers alternately. If the asparagus spears are uneven in length, you can use individual leaves for a better fit on the skewer.
Step 10
Dredge each pork belly and asparagus skewer lightly in the pancake mix, ensuring an even coating. Gently shake off any excess flour.
Step 11
Dip each coated skewer into the beaten egg mixture, allowing any excess egg to drip off. This creates the final egg coating for the jeon.
Step 12
Heat about 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the egg-coated skewers into the pan.
Step 13
Pan-fry the skewers for a few minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and crispy. The pork belly should be fully cooked, and the asparagus tender-crisp. Serve immediately and enjoy!
