Barbecue For Breakfast? Eggs Benedict Will Never Be the Same Thanks to This Recipe.

The best part about barbecue is, of course, eating the barbecue. The second best part is the leftovers that you get to eat the next day, allowing you to relive the joy that was your previous meaty meal. The question we have from time to time, though, is how is it best to have those leftovers? We could just re-heat them, but it is always a little more fun to repurpose the leftovers in a new and tasty way.

A new recipe we just learned is game-changer: barbecue pork eggs Benedict. This wondrous dish comes to us from Denver chef Justin Cucci (of Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox) and features not only delicious pork, but a Carolina Gold hollandaise sauce, fennel apple slaw, and corn muffins with jalapeño and goat cheese in them.

If you don’t have any leftover pork, don’t you worry — you’re about to. Cucci has us covered with a killer braised pork shoulder recipe as well. You’ll not only have the best breakfast on the f’ing block, but the best dinner the night before, too.

Barbecue Pork Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

• 2 cups braised pork shoulder (or leftover grilled ribs, meat picked)
• 8 poached eggs (to your preferred process; we suggest two eggs per person)
• 1 cup fennel apple slaw
• 4 cornbread muffins
• 1 cup Carolina gold hollandaise

Method:

1. Over medium heat, slowly warm up the pork with 2 tablespoons of barbeque sauce.
2. While the pork is heating up, make the slaw and poach the eggs.
3. Warm a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Slice 4 day-old cornbread muffins in half. Melt a tablespoon of butter in the skillet and griddle the cornbread cut-side down.
4. Once cornbread is toasted, distribute two sides to each plate.
5. Top each piece of cornbread with about 1-2 oz. of warm rib meat.
6. Place a poached egg on each half, followed by a spoonful of hollandaise over each egg.
7. To finish, top each egg with the fennel apple slaw.
8. Receive all the praise from your family because you just killed brunch

Braised Pork Shoulder

(Total time: 3 hours. Serves: 4)         

• 1 (3-4 lb) Pork shoulder, bone-in
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Tellicherry black pepper, cracked
• 1 lb onions, diced into ¼ inch slices
• .5 lb celery, diced into 1 inch slices
• .5 lb carrots, diced into 1 inch slices
• .75 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 qt vegetable stock (or water)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325* F.
2. With a chef’s knife, score the top of the pork shoulder in crosshatch marks and season with salt and pepper.
3. Warm the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. Sear the pork on all sides, until golden brown. Once the pork is completely seared, remove from the pan and rest.
5. Turn the heat down to medium and add in the carrots, onion and celery. Sauté the vegetables until lightly caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Stir in the apple cider, followed by the vegetable stock. Add the pork back in and cover with a lid or tin foil.
7. Place the pork shoulder in the pre-heated oven and slowly braise for about 2.5 to 3 hours total. At 2.5 hours, check the pork, it should be very tender. Let the pork completely cool.
8. Once the pork is “fall-off-the-bone” tender, using tongs and a large fork, remove from the Dutch oven and transfer onto a plate or large cutting board.
9. At this point, the pork can be easily sliced or shredded.
10. For extra flavor, strain the drippings from the braising liquid and reduce by half in a small sauce pan. Drizzle the reduction over the shredded pork.

Note: The pork shoulder can be braised on day in advance. Just reserve the braise liquid (without reducing), adding it and the pork back to the Dutch oven. Warm, covered in the oven at 325*F. for approximately 1 hour, or until warmed through.

Fennel Apple Slaw

(Yield: 3 cups)

Ingredients:

• .5 pound Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, shaved
• 1 granny smith apple, thinly shaved
• .5 cup green goddess dressing*

Method:

1. In a medium size bowl, combine the cabbage, fennel, apple and green goddess dressing. Toss to fully incorporate.
2. The longer the slaw sits, the more the flavors will meld together.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

*Green goddess dressing

• 1 avocado, peeled and core removed
• 1 clove garlic, fresh and minced
• 1 oz neutral oil
• .25 cup lemon juice
• 5 tbsp basil, fresh
• 1 tbsp tarragon, fresh
• 1 tbsp parsley, fresh
• 1 tbsp dill, fresh
• 1 tbsp chives, chopped
• .5 tsp black pepper, cracked
• .5 tsp water
• .25 tsp salt

Method: Combine all ingredients in the blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Cornbread Muffins

(Yield: 14 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium jalapeño peppers
• 2 eggs
• 1 poblano pepper, medium
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup AP flour
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 6 tbsp cream cheese, chunked in small pieces (3oz.)
• 6 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled (3oz.)
• ⅔ cup yellow cornmeal
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• .5 tsp baking soda

Method:

1. Char poblano peppers in broiler until blistered. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Steam for 30 minutes.
2. Peel away skin and seeds of poblanos. Dice all peppers and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Melt butter until just liquid.
5. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, eggs, butter, and buttermilk. Mix well.
6. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine.
7. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
8. When mixture is almost (but not completely) mixed, fold in peppers and cheeses.
9. Spray muffin tin with baking spray and fill ¾ of the way full.
10. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-24 minutes. Will be: Golden. Brown. Delicious.
11. Store leftovers (if there are any!) in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Carolina Gold Hollandaise

(Yield: 1 cup hollandaise)

Ingredients:

• .25 cup clarified butter, melted
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp Carolina gold barbecue sauce
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp hot sauce (Cholula)
• .5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• .5 tsp salt
• .25 tsp black pepper, cracked

Method:

1. Heat the clarified butter until hot, but not bubbling. Combine hot sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and egg yolks in a blender. Start blender on low and work up to high speed until smooth.
2. While the blender is running and medium speed, slowly drizzle in clarified butter. Once the whole amount of butter is incorporated, check the consistency. If too thick, drizzle in a tablespoon of cold water with the motor running.
3. Taste and check for salt preference.
4. Set aside in a warm place while finishing up the rest of the dish.

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