Monday, May 17, 2010

Slow-Cooked Pork Bento


Slow-Cooked Pork Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.
Today's bento contains some sliced pork, cooked in the slow-cooker, Okinawan style. Slow-cooking meat is easy and effortless, and you always end up with tender, moist, delicious meat. This recipe is no exception. It's sweet and rich, and the sauce is delicious over rice and veggies. Perhaps you've noticed we like to use all kinds of meat sauces over our veggies. In our house, such a tasty sauce will magically make ANY veggie desirable. Guaranteed. You should really try it with your little ones. Broccoli, choy, cauliflower, even sweet potatoes get dipped in sauce. You might be surprised at what they'll agree to eat!

3-4 pounds pork butt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inch ginger root, crushed
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 cup shoyu
1/2 cup miso

Combine all ingredients except the pork, mix well, put in slow cooker.
Place pork in slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-9 hours, until tender.
Turn over midway through cooking to brown the other side.
Cool, then slice. Enjoy!

The rest of the bento includes a mixed rice onigiri which is hidden beneath a flower made of sliced radish, purple potato and peapods, steamed broccoli, and a hard boiled egg shaped into a bear face. I know it looks really weird, but I put nori dots in the eye and nose indentations, and a nori strip in the mouth, because I thought you would be able to see it better. Um, I guess I have to change the settings on my camera since a few of the last photos have had a lot of glare and intense brightness. You can't even tell I shaped it; but believe me -- I did, and it came out perfect too, no cracks or anything! Oh well. I'll try again tomorrow.

There's also a yellow carrot flower, white peach slices, a strawberry and some blackberries. All packed in my stainless steel Lunchbots box. This one has no dividers, but never mind; the silicone cups do well at separating the fruit from the rest of the meal. This nice compact box fits well in my boy's little insulated tote.

Oh, and I almost forgot: this one qualifies for Hapabento's BOMB contest for Flowery Bento, yay!
Happy bento!

Bento Box on Foodista

24 comments:

  1. Yummy! Lunch looks delicious!!

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  2. I LOVE this! Especially the sauce idea.. I'd better get out there and get myself a slow cooker! The shaped egg turned out fantastic!

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  3. Oh man... I remember eating my fill of Okinawan pork at the annual Okinawan festival in Hawaii. This recipe sounds and looks even more delish!

    And I love, love, love your new polka-dots!

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  4. Oh wow you have a Lunch Bots box. How do you like it? I've been wanting one of those. This lunch looks so tasty. I want to move the SF just so I can try your food. It always looks so good.

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  5. Thanks Chantale! You need a slow cooker! So many yummy things to make: chili, pulled pork, even heard of some folks making oatmeal overnight... :D

    Debra, I know! It's sooo yummy! Thanks so much for the compliment, wow :)
    And you're so sweet to notice the polka dots, hehee!!

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  6. Hi Marisa!
    Well, I love stainless steel, so naturally I would want to try it, even though I have SO many other ss ones. This one has a snug (not watertight) lid that slides on to stay in place without latches, and it's overall much lighter than my other ones. Very nice oval shape and pleasing to pack. I hope you can try it.
    You're such a thoughtful and kind person, with always a generous comment like that. Really appreciate your encouragement.
    Thank you dear!

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  7. Mmm, the pork sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  8. Thanks Fluteloop! and you're welcome :D

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  9. Just by reading it, I can tell your pork is really yummy! *drooling here* Cute white bear with those fabulous flowers! Love your LunchBots box ... are they easy to open? The lid I mean :)

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  10. Hi Lia!
    Thanks a lot! Nice of you to compliment my very white bear...uh, I think maybe next time I'll color the egg, eh?
    The box is a great size and my boy can just open it with both hands, but maybe not for a younger child.

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  11. I just love the purple flower with the button holes and the bear is a sweetie! :o)

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  12. huuuummmm, this really looks yummy! I don't often use my slow cooker but this recipe really makes me want to change my habits!
    Nice flower and bear too!

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  13. Yum yum! A clever and delicious way to make beautiful fresh veggies even more appealing with rich, slow cooked savor...the sweet animal accents made me smile as they always do!

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  14. as usual, your bento is always so pleasing to the eyes and balanced. love the purple flower.
    cheers!/karen =)

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  15. hey sheri, so glad to finally have a chance to catch up on your awesome bentos! the lighting in this one *is* bright, but i could tell as soon as i looked that you had cleverly accented the molded egg with nori, AND i must say i'm always jealous of your natural california lighting! love the picks in the broccoli and strawberry, and that meat just looks... SUCCULENT!

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  16. I love this bright bento!

    My molded eggs always seem nicer in real compared to pictures...can't seem to quite get the details right. I love the radish petal details...so pretty!

    Going to give your slow-cooked pork a try...I've never had Okinawan styled pork before - but it looks so scrumptious..yumyum

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  17. The pork sounds so good. I have a hard time getting everything ready to put in the slow cooker early enough. I'll have to remember your tips on the egg bear. I just got some egg molds and have yet to try it.

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  18. Slow cooking pork with miso sounds awesome! It looks delish and your bento is so cute! What a perfect bear egg! :)

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  19. Hi just stumbled on your blog and found you have amazing bentos. I'm new to bento and am always looking around and try to learn new things from you guys. Will be back for more ;))

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  20. Thanks Asfora! Does look like a button, hehe :)
    Pipaw, I don't often use mine either, but it's great for some things like this. Thanks!
    Thanks Margot!
    Thanks bentobird; always so sweet as usual :)
    Thanks Karen!
    Hi megan, that's a good way to put a positive spin on it: yeah, it's all my California sunshine at fault! Ha! Wasn't even a sunny day that day, so can't really blame it on that :( Thanks! Good to see you again :)
    Thanks mils, hope you can try it; let me know if you like it :D
    Lyndsey, the best part is after you get everything in, you can just forget it. Love that! Thanks!
    Thanks a lot Susan, so sweet as always!
    Hi Anncoo, so happy you came! I love your blog too. Thanks for the nice words :)

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  21. Is slow cooker synonymous for crock-pot? I need to get one of these. The pork sounds easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing! And I love the bento too, especially the toothpick (?) on the strawberry. cute!

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  22. Rachel,
    Yes, slow cooker = crockpot! You really should get one. Even if you don't use it a lot, it is GREAT for cooking meat to tenderness, and if you get the one with a top shelf, you can cook veggies at the same time, wow!
    Yes, I love those picks. Instant cute :)

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