How I Developed This Recipe
Do you want to make tasty dish that’s both familiar, but also slightly unique with some flavor twists?
Pork wrapped asparagus is typically glazed in familiar teriyaki, it’s comforting but predictable. Today, instead of reaching for the standard teriyaki glaze that I’ve already made many times, this recipe explores a more complex flavor combination that feels luxurious without being complicated.
This versatile recipe works perfectly as a tasty lunch, an impressive appetizer, or even a special weekend breakfast. Let’s make something memorable in just 20 minutes.
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Asparagus: For the best results, choose medium-thick green asparagus spears. You can use white asparagus or thinner varieties, but the medium kind hold their shape well during cooking and provide a satisfying bite.
- Thinly sliced pork belly: Ultra-thin pork belly slices are your best bet. If pork belly isn’t available, try thin-sliced pork shoulder or other fatty cuts, though you’ll sacrifice some richness. Thinly sliced beef can work in a pinch, but pork belly truly makes this dish shine. Avoid using bacon as it can make the dish overly salty.
- Essential seasonings: This recipe uses ingredients that you likely already have at home. However, soy sauce and mirin are essential for achieving the core flavor, so don’t substitute them. If you can’t find sake, dry white wine is a good substitute.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Pork Wrapped Asparagus at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Start by combining all your sauce ingredients (soy sauce, sake, mirin, honey, apple juice, whole grain mustard, and grated garlic) in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
It’s important to have this ready before you start cooking because the glazing step is quick.
Hold each spear with one hand near the bottom and the other about halfway up the stalk. Apply gentle pressure with your thumb at the base while bending. The asparagus will naturally snap at the point where the tough, fibrous portion meets the tender part.
This usually happens about 2-5 cm from the bottom, and it’s nature’s way of showing you exactly where to cut.
After snapping off the tough ends, place the asparagus on your cutting board and use a peeler to remove the outer skin from the bottom 3-5 cm of each spear.
While snapping removes the toughest parts, the rest of the stem can still have stringy skin that becomes unpleasantly chewy when cooked. Peeling creates a uniformly tender bite throughout the entire spear.
Lay a slice of pork belly diagonally on your work surface at a 45° angle, then place asparagus parallel to the bottom of the cutting board with the base placed over the bottom of the pork. The tip should be on the right side of the meat.
Start by folding the meat over the bottom end to make a closed end. This keeps the asparagus from sliding out while it’s cooking.
Then, roll the asparagus while holding the pork belly tightly. The meat should wrap snugly around the spear in overlapping spirals with the tips unwrapped, poking out the top.
Keep consistent tension as you roll, and don’t be afraid to stretch the pork belly slightly. The fat content makes it naturally clingy, so it wants to stick to itself.
Immediately after wrapping each piece, season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with cornstarch.
Cornstarch has three important jobs in this recipe. It promotes better browning through the Maillard reaction, helps the pork stay attached to the asparagus during cooking, and creates a slightly tacky surface that helps the final glaze cling beautifully. It’s a small step with a big payoff.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place each wrapped asparagus with the seam facing down to stop them from unravelling. Cook until all sides are a rich golden-brown color, turning carefully to make sure they all brown evenly.
When you turn the asparagus rolls, hold them by the green tips instead of the pork-wrapped part. This helps the meat stay wrapped and keeps everything in place.
If your asparagus spears are too long for your pan, don’t hesitate to cut them in half before wrapping
Once your asparagus rolls are beautifully browned all over, remove excess fat from the pan with a paper towel. Pour in your prepared sauce mixture and gently shake the pan to distribute it evenly. The sauce will bubble and reduce, transforming into a glossy coating.
Watch the sauce. It will get thicker and shinier, usually in 1-2 minutes. When it coats the back of a spoon, you’re ready for the final touch.
Remove the pan from heat and add butter, swirling until it melts completely and creates an incredibly glossy, restaurant-quality glaze.
Quickly fry eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. Toast several slices of baguette until golden and crispy using your oven’s broiler or a toaster.
Arrange the glazed asparagus rolls on your serving plate, top with the sunny-side up eggs, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Drizzle any remaining glaze from the pan over the dish and enjoy!
This is totally unconventional, but those toasted baguette slices are meant for dipping into the runny egg yolks and soaking up the incredible glaze left on your plate. The moment I tasted this sauce, I knew it belonged with crusty bread rather than rice.
As I said in the beginning, this can be a nice Sunday breakfast!
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Peel the bottom ends of asparagus lightly to eliminate tough, fibrous skin for better texture.
- Mix the sauce ingredients ahead of time to streamline cooking.
- Dust wrapped asparagus lightly with cornstarch to help achieve a crispy, golden coating and keep pork in place.
- Always start cooking the pork-wrapped asparagus seam-side down to seal the wrap effectively.
- Remove excess fat before adding glaze to prevent overly greasy results.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make this pork wrapped asparagus.
Storage Guide
Cooked pork-wrapped asparagus should be consumed immediately for optimal texture and flavor. If you must store leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
To reheat, use a skillet over medium heat instead of the microwave. This will help restore some of the crispness, but the texture still won’t be the same as the original.
Serving Suggestions
I hope you enjoy this Pork Wrapped Asparagus recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Pork Recipes
Hungry for more? Explore my pork recipe collection to find your next favorite dishes!
Pork Wrapped Asparagus (Nikumaki Asparagus)
Ingredients
- 6-8 spears asparagus medium-thick green spears recommended
- 6-8 slices thinly sliced pork belly ultra-thin if available, substitute with thinly sliced fatty pork cuts or beef
- ½ tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 tsp cooking oil neutral-flavored
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tsp butter
Glaze
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp sake or dry white wine
- 1 tbsp apple juice
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 clove grated garlic or garlic paste
- ½ tsp honey
- ½ tsp whole grain mustard
Topping & Sides (optional)
- sunny-side-up egg runny yolk recommended
- toasted white sesame seeds to taste
- 4 slices baguette toasted
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp apple juice, 1 tsp mirin, 1 clove grated garlic, ½ tsp honey, and ½ tsp whole grain mustard until smooth. Set by the stove for later.
- Wash and dry 6-8 spears asparagus, then break 2-5cm (1-2 inches) off of the base.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin from the bottom 3-5cm of each stalk.
- Take 6-8 slices thinly sliced pork belly and place one on a cutting board at a 45° angle. Place one spear of asparagus parallel to the bottom of the cutting board with the base placed over the bottom edge of the pork and the tip pointing to the right.
- Wrap the bottom of the asparagus tightly with the pork to stop it from sliding out when cooking.
- Roll the asparagus upwards until the pork is wrapped around the spear in overlapping spirals, leaving the tips poking out of the top.
- Start heating your pan over medium high heat with 1 tsp cooking oil. While you wait, sprinkle the pork wrapped asparagus with 1 pinch salt and pepper and brush with ½ tbsp cornstarch until they have a thin even coating all over.
- Once the pan is nice and hot, place the asparagus with the seam of the pork facing down. Turn occasionally until evenly browned all over.
- Use kitchen paper to wipe out any excess oil.
- Add the sauce and gently shake the pan occasionally to distribute it evenly and help coat the pork.
- Once the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add 1 tsp butter and swirl the pan around to melt it before taking it off the heat.
- Transfer to serving plates and top with a sunny-side-up egg and some toasted white sesame seeds. Drizzle any leftover sauce in the pan over the top and serve with 4 slices baguette (toasted). Enjoy!
Notes
- Choose asparagus spears that are roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly and look uniform when plated.
- If your asparagus is too long for your pan, cut the spears in half before wrapping to ensure proper cooking and easier handling.
- Watch the sauce carefully during the final minute. It can go from perfect glaze to burnt quickly once it starts thickening.
- Serve with toasted baguette slices for dipping into the runny egg yolk and sauce.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat.
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