Our very own Chef Christian once said that if pigs had wings, could lay eggs, and could be milked, there’d be no need for any another animal.

Chef loves pork, so he was more than happy to share one of his favorite recipes on Tuesday for “Pork Day,” part of the PA Preferred “Farm to Fork” event at the Farm Show – Smoked Pork Belly with a Potato Pancake, Braised Red Cabbage, and a Hard Cider Glaze. Hungry yet?

Pork belly has been a mainstay on our Snack Bar menu, and Chef keeps our customers intrigued by altering this popular dish to coincide with the change of the seasons. Check out his detailed recipe below to re-create this delicious dish at home. Or, if you don’t have the patience to cure a pork belly for three days, stop by our brunch this Sunday and let Chef do all the work.

Smoked Pork Belly with a Potato Pancake, Braised Red Cabbage, and a Hard Cider Glaze

Yields 4 servings

Pork Belly with a Hard Cider Glaze

Curing ingredients:

1 lb. skinless pork belly

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup salt

½ tsp. pink curing salt

1 tsp. clove ground

2 cups apple sauce

Pinch of cinnamon

Braising broth:

1 bottle Troegenator beer

3 cups apple cider

3 apples, halved and seared till black on flesh side

1 onion, diced

1 knuckle ginger – drop in whole

Bouquet garni – sprig of rosemary, sprig of thyme, parsley stem, peppercorn, bay leaf

Place the pork belly in a plastic ziploc bag. Combine the curing ingredients to form a paste. Add the paste to the belly in the bag, seal trying to remove the air. Work the paste around the belly evenly. Place the belly between two trays and weight it down with a #10 can, or a heavy object, in the walk-in cooler for three days.

Remove the belly from the bag. Rinse and pat dry. Cold smoke for one hour. – if you don’t have an electric or wood smoker, this step can be skipped

Place the belly in a braising pan and top with the braising broth – see recipe for broth above. Top with the remaining ingredients (apples, onion, ginger, bouquet) wrap with plastic wrap, then foil. Braise in an oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Cool. Strain the liquid and reduce until nappe – coats the back of a spoon.

Portion the belly into 4 even portions. Deep fry for service. Heat enough oil to cover belly to 350 degrees and fry belly for 5 minutes.

 

Potato Pancake

1 large Yukon gold potato, cooked until soft and mashed (or riced)

2 eggs

4 oz. milk

1 shallot, minced

1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ cups flour, more as needed

1 heavy pinch salt

1tsp. turmeric

 

Combine all the dry ingredients, aerate – mix thoroughly. Whisk in one egg and the milk, then whisk in the potato and second egg. Add the shallot and horseradish. Whisk together and check the consistency. If it is not thick enough, add more flour while whisking. The finished consistency should be similar to that of mashed potatoes. Cook in saute pan like any other pancake.

Braised red cabbage

½ red cabbage, julienned

1 onion, sliced

1 pinch caraway seeds

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups chicken stock

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

Combine all the ingredients. Place in a braising pan, covered with film and aluminum foil. Bake at 300F for 2 hours. Cool and store. Serve this warm on top of finished potato cake.

Place pancake on the plate, top with cabbage, then belly. Finish with sauce.