Nermo

The belly is where the bacon is, but if you don’t want to smoke it, you can braise it.

Recent studies have shown that bacon is the ultimate hangover cure, because of it’s high protein content – converted to amino acids – resulting in a clearer head and the enticing smell leads to eating more, increasing the metabolism, thus speeding the healing process.

Simply brine the belly for 3 days, then move the belly from brine to oven before you go out on the town.  When you get home, turn on the oven and go to sleep.  When you wake up, breakfast is almost ready.

Braised Pork Belly

Brine

• 1 cup sugar
• 1.5 cups salt
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups ice

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Everything Else

• 2-3 pounds pork belly, skin on
• 1 quart frozen chicken stock
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 1 small potato, peeled and quartered

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3 days ahead: mix all brine ingredients but the ice, bring to a boil and simmer until sugar and salt have dissolved.  Take off heat, add ice and let completely cool, then submerge pork belly and refrigerate.

The night before: before you go out, remove pork from brine, place in covered pan with remaining ingredients in cold oven.

Before you go to bed: set oven to 200 degrees and set your alarm for 8 hours. Leave a note on your pillow or you’ll forget.

In the morning: slice the belly into quarter-inch strips across the grain and sear on both sides until crispy.  Savor the smell, simmer cooking  liquid to reduce with the vegetables and then blend to create gravy.  Serve with gravy on the side.

Note:  This also makes a great garninsh/edible swizzle stick for a bloody mary.  Celery is for sissies.

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3. Hangover Brunch Menu
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