WINTER PIG

Winter Pig image

Provided by Food Network

Time 9h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

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1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ground coffee, such as Caffe Vita
1/4 cup Aleppo peppers
1/4 cup salt, plus more
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 pounds pork belly, cut into 2-inch strips
2 bottles citrus or hoppy beer
8 ounces butter
10 apples, cut
3 hot peppers
2 bottles apple cider vinegar
1 small piece cinnamon stick
Pinch caraway seeds
Pinch celery seeds
Pinch juniper berries
Pinch peppercorns
Pinch mustard seeds
4 ciabatta rolls
8 ounces Cheddar
1 bunch fresh mint

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Mix together 1/4 cup sugar, the coffee, Aleppo peppers, salt and black pepper.
Put the rub onto the pork belly strips and put into an oven-safe deep-dish pan. Submerge the pork fully with the beer. Cover and cook for 4 hours.
For the preserves, melt the butter in saucepan, Add 5 of the apples, 1/2 cup of the sugar and some salt. Cook at a simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes.
For the pickled apples, in a medium saucepan, place the hot peppers, vinegar, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the cinnamon, caraway, celery seeds, juniper berries, peppercorns and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and reduce the mixture for 30 minutes.
Pour the mixture over the 5 remaining apples. Allow to sit for 1 hour. Then refrigerate.
Then, assemble the sandwich! Take the ciabatta and cut in half. Build each sandwich with some apple preserves, Cheddar, pickled apples and then pork belly. Finish with fresh mint leaves. If the food items are cold, build the sandwiches except for mint, and put them in the toaster oven or oven for 10 minutes. Once warm, add the mint and enjoy.