Smoked Pork Belly Huevos Rancheros Sandwiches
Smoked Pork Belly Open Faced Sandwich: this is the way you want to start your day!
Things to know:
What is huevos rancheros?
Huevos rancheros is a traditional Mexican breakfast of fried eggs served on lightly fried corn tortillas, topped with a tomato-chile salsa, and often accompanied by refried beans and Mexican rice. The name translates to “rancher’s eggs,” and it’s a hearty, satisfying dish with many regional variations, sometimes including cheese, avocado, or chorizo.
What is the difference between huevos a la mexicana and rancheros?
The main difference is preparation: Huevos Rancheros uses fried eggs served on top of tortillas with salsa, while Huevos Mexicanos (or a la Mexicana) involves scrambling eggs with diced tomatoes, onions, and chiles mixed in, mimicking the Mexican flag colors. Rancheros are a layered dish with fried eggs as the star over a tortilla base, whereas Mexicanos are a blended, scrambled egg dish.
Is it better to cook pork belly fast or slow?
Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderize the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin. That is why we first smoke the belly at 275F, then finish it off in the air fryer at 400F.
What is pork belly called in America?
In America, pork belly is most famously known as bacon, specifically “streaky bacon,” which is the cured and smoked cut from the belly; however, the raw, uncured slab itself is also sold as pork belly for braising, roasting, or deep-frying, and can be made into salt pork for stews, with “American bacon” often meaning cured pork belly internationally.
Why is pork belly so expensive?
Pork belly is expensive due to high demand (especially for bacon), tight supply from low inventories, high processing/labor costs for restaurants, increased feed/transportation costs for farmers, and its use in popular international cuisines, all combining to create a high-value, inelastic product where consumers are less price-sensitive.
Ingredients
5 lbs pork belly
coarse salt (kosher or sea)
BBQ rub of your choice (We used Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano)
6 medium boneless skinless chicken seeds (eggs)
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup of oaxaca or chihuahua cheese (shredded)
2 T cream cheese
2 T Mexican crema
2 T chopped fresh chives
2 T EVOO
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 T oyster sauce
2 T soy sauce
1 can refried beans
3 brioche hamburger buns
1. Place the pork belly on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Season all sides with the salt and your favorite BBQ rub. Place the tray in the refrigerator as you get your smoker ready.
2. Combine the shredded cheese, cream cheese, crema and chives together in a food processor. Place in refrigerator.
3. Preheat your smoker to 250F.
4. Place the pork belly in the smoker and smoke for 4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
5. Prepare the onions. Place a cast iron skillet on the stove at medium low heat. Add the EVOO. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions. Once the onions begin to show a golden-brown color, add 1-2 T water and deglaze the skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add the oyster and soy sauces. Stir to combine, then add the onions to a bowl to cool.
6. In the same pan, fry the eggs and set aside.
7. Set your over to warm. Once you take the pork belly off the smoker, place in oven and let rest for 30 minutes.
8. Slice the pork belly into 1 inch strips, bun length.
9. On medium heat in a sauce pan, heat the beans, adding EVOO as necessary to make it spreadable.
10. In a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, sear the pork belly slices long enough to give them a nice crispy crust.
11. Split the buns, butter them and toast in the oven.
12. Assemble sammich: add a layer of beans, then a layer of cheese, a layer of pork belly, layer of onions, then top with egg then cilantro. Remember, these are open face sammiches, so you should be able to make 6 with the 3 buns. Serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
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