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🛒 Block 21–22 Shopping List — Pork

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How to use this list: Two major project cooks this block — the slow-roasted pork shoulder (Block 17, start by 11 AM) and carnitas (Block 18, start by noon). Carnitas ingredients are simple; don't overthink the shopping. The porchetta (Block 20) should be assembled and dried uncovered in the fridge at least overnight — prep it or .

⚠️ Equipment Check

  • [ ] Dutch oven (5–7 quart) — essential for chashu, carnitas, meatballs
  • [ ] Kitchen twine — for rolling and tying porchetta
  • [ ] Wire rack + sheet pan setup — pork shoulder needs to sit on a rack in a shallow pan
  • [ ] Instant-read thermometer — non-negotiable for pork (145°F target)

🥩 Proteins — Block 17

  • [ ] Bone-in rib chops — 1 inch thick; 1 per person (; dry brine night)
  • [ ] Pork belly (skin-on, slab) — 2 lbs (chashu; buy early for prep)
  • [ ] Pork tenderloin — 1–1.5 lbs (; often sold in 2-pack)
  • [ ] Bone-in pork chops, thin — ½ inch; 2–3 pieces (Vietnamese grill; marinate night)
  • [ ] Bone-in pork shoulder — 4–5 lbs with fat cap (; buy to dry brine overnight)

🥩 Proteins — Block 18

  • [ ] Pork belly (skin removed) — 1.5 lbs (lardon cook)
  • [ ] Pork spare ribs or baby back — 1 full rack
  • [ ] Pork belly (skin-on) — 2 lbs (porchetta; buy and prep immediately)
  • [ ] Ground pork — 1 lb (meatballs)
  • [ ] Pork shoulder — 4 lbs boneless (carnitas)

🥦 Produce — Block 17

  • [ ] Garlic — 3 heads
  • [ ] Ginger — 1 knob
  • [ ] Shallots — 6
  • [ ] Lemongrass — 4 stalks (marinade)
  • [ ] Lemons — 6
  • [ ] Limes — 6
  • [ ] Oranges — 2 (pork shoulder brine + carnitas)
  • [ ] Jalapeños — 6 (for pickling;)
  • [ ] Cucumbers — 3 (pickled for chashu bowl + Vietnamese meal)
  • [ ] Fresh mint, cilantro, Thai basil — for meal and sides
  • [ ] Carrots — 4 (honey-roasted)
  • [ ] Celery — 2 stalks (Session 106 apple-celery-walnut salad)
  • [ ] Apples — 2 (Session 106 salad — Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • [ ] Cauliflower — 1 head (side)
  • [ ] Green cabbage — ½ head (Block 18 ribs coleslaw)

🥦 Produce — Block 18

  • [ ] Fennel seed — (also pantry; Block 18 porchetta)
  • [ ] Tomatillos — 1 lb (Block 18 salsa verde)
  • [ ] Poblano pepper — 1 (salsa verde optional addition)
  • [ ] Avocados — 4 (guacamole, Block 20)
  • [ ] Fresh white onion — 1 (carnitas toppings)
  • [ ] Cilantro — 2 bunches (Block 20)
  • [ ] Arugula — 1 bag (Block 18 porchetta salad)

🧂 Pantry — Block 17

  • [ ] Soy sauce — ½ cup (chashu marinade)
  • [ ] Mirin — ¼ cup (chashu)
  • [ ] Sake or dry vermouth — ¼ cup (chashu)
  • [ ] Sugar — white (chashu)
  • [ ] Fish sauce (nuoc cham)
  • [ ] Rice vinegar (nuoc cham + quick pickles)
  • [ ] Kosher salt — plenty; dry brining all week
  • [ ] White wine + chicken stock (tenderloin pan sauce)
  • [ ] Eggs — 1 dozen (Block 17 chashu bowl soft-boiled eggs; also general use)
  • [ ] Ramen noodles — 4 portions (Block 17 chashu bowl)
  • [ ] Nori sheets — 1 package (Block 17 chashu bowl)
  • [ ] Mayonnaise — 1 jar (Block 18 ribs coleslaw dressing)

🧂 Pantry — Block 18

  • [ ] Lard or neutral oil — 2 cups (carnitas)
  • [ ] Bay leaves — 6
  • [ ] Cumin — ground and seeds
  • [ ] Fennel seed — for porchetta
  • [ ] Fresh rosemary — 2 bunches (porchetta)
  • [ ] Corn tortillas — 2 packs (carnitas)
  • [ ] White beans — 2 cans (with porchetta + with belly)
  • [ ] San Marzano tomatoes — 1 can (meatball sugo)
  • [ ] Dry pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni) — 1 lb
  • [ ] Day-old bread — ¾ cup (for meatball panade)
  • [ ] Whole milk — ½ cup (meatball panade)

🥖 Bread

  • [ ] Crusty bread — 1 loaf (serve with pork belly chashu bowl; also porchetta)

📝 Notes

  • [ ] Pine nuts — ¼ cup (Session 106 roasted cauliflower with pine nuts and capers)
  • [ ] Walnuts — ½ cup (Session 106 apple-celery-walnut salad)
  • [ ] Long-grain or jasmine rice — 1 lb (Session 108 pilaf-style rice + Session 109 steamed rice)
  • [ ] Cornmeal — 1 cup (Session 111 cornbread)