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Vigorón [Yuca con Chicharrón]

Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Latin American
Author: These Foreign Roads

Ingredients

  • 1 Yuca root
  • 1/2 pound Pork Belly, Skin on Skinless will work, but the crispy skin is part of what makes this so enjoyable!
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 cloves Garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp Baking Soda
  • 1 recipe Curtido

Instructions

The Day Before

  • Lay the the pork belly skin side down and cut into roughly 3/4 inch
    pieces. The length of each piece will depend on the thickness of the
    belly. The important part is that each piece has a square of skin on the
    end.
  • Mix together soy sauce, sugar, water and minced garlic in a bowl.
  • Mix the pork belly pieces with the marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The Day Of

  • Remove the pork from marinade and pat dry. Rub baking soda on the skin
    of each piece and set aside for 10 minutes. This step can be avoided,
    but leads to a much crispier skin when fried.
  • After sitting, place the pork pieces in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add just enough water to cover.
  • Turn heat to medium-high and bring the water to a slow simmer. Turn down to medium-low and let the water slowly evaporate while rendering the fat from the meat.
  • Be sure to use a splatter screen of some sort. As the last of the water evaporates from the hot oil, it may pop and splatter quite a bit.
  • Once the water has evaporated, if the pork isn’t completely submerged by the rendered fat, add lard or oil to cover and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes

In the Meantime

  • Peel yuca with a sharp knife and discard. Yuca skin contains natural toxins, so be sure to peel well.
  • Cut into chunks and add to a pot of salted water. Bring to boil and cook for roughly 30 minutes until fork-tender. Overcooking will cause the yuca to become gummy.
  • Strain yuca, cool in ice bath and refrigerate until ready to use.

Back to the Pork

  • Remove pork from oil and discard all but a small bit of oil.
  • Heat reserved oil on medium-high heat and return the pork and sliced garlic to the pan, stirring constantly.
  • Once the garlic begins to brown and the pork is nice and crisp, turn off heat and immediately remove the meat and garlic from the pan and set on paper towel to soak up remaining oil.

Assemble

  • Take the cooled yuca from the fridge and mash roughly with a fork. Being much heartier than potatoes, it won’t mash the same. You’ll want it chunky.
  • Divide yuca between plates.
  • Top yuca with roughly 1 cup of cordita. Use a fork for this part, reserve the curtido liquid in the container.
  • Sprinkle the pork pieces onto plate evenly, and serve. Use reserved curtido liquid as additional dressing if desired.
  • Be sure to get every component of Vigaron in each bite, and prepare to have your mind blown.