Name: Sweet Potato-Pork Belly Hash
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh, skin-on pork belly; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 1 large sprig thyme; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; 3 cups low-salt chicken stock; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4" cubes; 3 large shallots, chopped; 2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar or red wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup; 4 poached eggs (optional)

Cast iron pan of sweet potato cubes and crispy pork belly placed on a towel with a serving of the dish on a plate beside...

Sweet Potato-Pork Belly HashDitte Isager

Braising the pork belly yields crisp-tender nuggets ready to mingle with caramelized sweet potatoes. "It's a very American profile, sweet potato and pork," says Jared Wentworth, the chef at Chicago's Longman & Eagle, who gave us this recipe.

Recipe information

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh, skin-on pork belly

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 large sprig thyme

4 garlic cloves, smashed

3 cups low-salt chicken stock

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4" cubes

3 large shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar or red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

4 poached eggs (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 275°F. Season pork belly generously with salt and pepper. Place in a large ovenproof saucepan. Add thyme and garlic. Pour stock over. Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover tightly, and braise in oven until tender, about 3 hours. Uncover; let cool. Transfer pork belly to a 9" glass pie dish. Place another 9" glass pie dish on top of pork belly. Weight with a 15-ounce canned good. Chill overnight.
Step 2
Remove skin from pork belly. Cut meat into 1/2" cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sauté until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a medium bowl. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Add to same skillet; sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with pork. Add 2 tablespoons oil and shallots to skillet; sauté over medium heat until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Return potatoes and pork with any accumulated juices to pan. Drizzle vinegar and syrup over; stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve with poached eggs if desired.