Crispy P.B.L.T.
The PB stands for Pork Belly. But in that case, all BLT’s are PBLT’s because bacon is made from pork belly. I saw a Crispy pork belly sandwich in Food and Wine this month, and that same day passed some beautiful pork belly at the Asian market. I knew it was a sign. I didn’t really like their recipe however, so I decided to make it my own. Slow cooked in a slightly Korean BBQ sauce, then fried in it’s own fat until crispy, this pork belly was fantastic on its own. When placed on a fresh ciabatta with more of that bbq sauce, and some lettuce tomato and mayo, it really became magical.
First I had to debone the belly and cut it into more manageable slabs.
The spices for my quick BBQ sauce.
After browning the pork on all sides, carrots and onion go in the pan.
Followed by beer, cider vinegar, gochujang, molasses, the spices, and brown sugar. The pan headed to the oven for awhile.
3 Hours later! Get this into the fridge for awhile.
After everything has set in the fridge for an hour or so. This step is important to keep the pork belly tender but not falling apart.
Also to harvest that delicious fat. I like this picture, because I am in it!
Pork with the reserved fat.
Put the fat into the pan and use it to fry the pork in. Wow this pan has gone from the burner to the oven, to the fridge, and now back to the burner!
Crispy!
This sandwich was amazing.
I also pureed the non-fat contents of that pan to make a nice sauce to spread on the bottom of the sandwich. Boil this for 10 minutes to reduce it a little and warm it up.
Teaspoon coriander, black pepper, black mustard, 1 clove, 1 tablespoon cumin. Toast, grind. Mix with about ¾ of a beer, ½ cup cider vinegar, 2 big spoonfulls of gochujang, 1 spoonfull of molasses, and one more of brown sugar. Brown pork on all sides, add onoion and carrot, then the liquid after 5 minutes. Bake 3 hours at 275. Remove from oven and then into fridge when it has cooled slightly. 1 hour. Remove from fridge, slice into ½ inch thick squares. Skim fat off the top. Puree mixture after fat is removed. Use fat to fry the belly squares at high heat
You always use the greatest spices in your dishes. I need to be more adventurous in that arena!