Beer Braised Pork Belly with Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprout Hash

12.24.14

Recently I wrote an article about Hosting a Craft Beer Inspired Holiday Brunch for CraftBeer.com which featured pairing ideas and two new recipes. You can check it out here! Brunch is easily my favorite meal because it combines the best aspects of breakfast and dinner and isn’t meant to be fussy. The recipe for braised pork belly hash that follows is featured in the article and, in my opinion, is a great post-holiday meal because it can be made in advance and because it’s the perfect hangover dish.

Pork Belly

• 2 pounds pork belly, skin removed
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces maple porter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together maple porter, maple syrup, and vinegar.

Combine chili powder, ginger, coriander, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the pork belly. Place belly, fat side up, in a glass baking dish or dutch oven. Pour porter mixture over. Add enough stock to bring liquid half way up the side of the pork belly. Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil. Braise in oven until very tender, but not falling apart, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place a smaller baking dish on top of the pork belly and weigh down by placing canned good in the top dish. Chill overnight. Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance; remove weights after 12 hours and store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprout Hash

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pound of brussels sprouts
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika or chipotle powder (optional)

Cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts and remove any yellow leaves; for larger brussels sprouts, half or quarter to roughly the same size as the sweet potatoes.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 6 minutes. Add brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, thyme, paprika or chipotle (if using), and season with an additional 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cover and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until potatoes are brown and almost fork tender, about 10 minutes. Can be prepared 1 to 2 days in advance; store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Assembly

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 5 to 6 large eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove pork belly from braising liquid and cut into 1×1/2-inch pieces. Butter a 9×5” glass baking dish. Add sweet potato mixture and top with pork belly pieces. Make 6 small wells and crack eggs into. Season top of eggs with salt and pepper. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until eggs are set and dish is warmed through.

Pair with

Big Leaf Maple by Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA
This beer’s malty complexity from two types of caramel malts and the addition of maple syrup during brewing complement the roasted flavors found in the sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts while the bitterness of bright citrus hops cuts through the rich pork belly and egg yolks.

Tags: beer • breakfast • brunch • brussels sprouts • cooking with beer • craft beer • eggs • holiday brunch • holiday recipe • maple • recipe • sweet potatoes • thyme

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