Idaho® Potato Baked Potato Pork Belly Pastrami

Recipe courtesy of Richard DeShantz, Chef, Meat & Potatoes, Pittsburgh, PA

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Pastrami pork belly (5 pound pork belly)
  
  Brine: 
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 gallon water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup salt
• 4 each bay leaves
• 6 each fresh thyme
• 6 each juniper
• 6 each allspice
• 4 each clove
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 black whole pepper
• 6 coriander seeds
• mustard seeds

Pastrami Rub

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4/ cup mustard seeds
• 6 tablespoons garlic flakes
• 6 tablespoons onion powder
• 6 tablespoons chili flakes
• 1/4 cup ground black pepper

Baked potato:

• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Baked potato (frying):

• Peanut oil
• Reserved potatoes
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Sour cream topping:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

Pastrami Pork Belly:

1. Put all ingredients in a pot
2. Bring to a boil just until salt and sugar is dissolved
3. Cool before using
4. Brine pork belly for 5 days

Pastrami Rub:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl
2. Pack rub on the belly
3. Let sit overnight
4. Smoke in electrical smoker at 230 degrees for 8 to 9 hours

Baked potato:

1. Toss potatoes in oil seasoning with salt and pepper
2. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 1 hour
3. Cool potatoes for 30 minutes
4. Cut potatoes in half the long way
5. Use a spoon to scoop out some of the inside of the potatoes
6. Potatoes should be 1/8 inches thick
7. Reserve until ready

Baked potato (frying):

1. Put peanut oil in a heavy duty pot
2. Heat oil up to 350 degrees
3. Fry potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes
4. Put out and season

Sour cream:

1. Mix all together

Final:

1. Take fried potatoes
2. Add local cheese curd
3. 1/8 thick piece of pork belly
4. Put in oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes
5. When done, top with sour cream
6. Add more chopped green onions