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Treat yourself to the true breakfast of champions, a pork belly breakfast biscuit sandwich. This sandwich has got it all, from the flaky pepper jack biscuits to the tender braised pork belly to the soft scrambled eggs and briny, spicy jalapenos.
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Watch how to make this
What makes this dish special
Most of the time, I try to eat healthier during the week. But every once in a while, I want to bury my face in an indulgent meal. I had the idea of making a biscuit sandwich for several weeks now, but today I couldn't wait any longer.
So, I got to working on a pork belly breakfast biscuit sandwich with pepper jack biscuits, braised pork belly, soft scrambled eggs, and jalapenos. Boy, let me tell you. This was exactly what I wanted and then some. The sandwich was so flavorful with tender biscuits, creamy eggs, and spicy, tangy pickled jalapenos. Time for seconds? And if you're looking for another fantastic breakfast sandwich, try my ultimate breakfast sandwich recipe and chicken sausage breakfast sandwich!
Recipe
Pork Belly Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich
Ingredients
Braised pork belly
- 2 pounds pork belly boneless
- ½ cup brown sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
Pepper jack biscuits
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (370 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup cold butter, cut into small chunks (113 grams)
- ¾ cup grated pepper jack cheese (67 grams)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
Remaining ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 12 large eggs
- salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup pickled jalapenos
Instructions
- Prepare pork. Marinate pork belly with ¼ cup brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Combine pork belly with chicken broth, applesauce, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, sliced onion, and smashed garlic in an instant pot. Close the lid and set to pressure cook for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Meanwhile, make biscuits. Combine flour with baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or a food processor. Add grated cheese and slowly add buttermilk, mixing just until combined.
- Lightly dust a clean work counter with flour. Shape biscuit dough into a square. Fold the square in half and flatten it down until it's 1 inch thick, shaping it back into a rectangle. Repeat the fold. Cut dough into 6 equal portions and lay them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
- When pork is ready, remove it from the braising liquid. Add remaining ¼ cup brown sugar to the liquid. Set instant pot to saute and simmer liquid until it's thickened and reduced by at least half. Slice pork belly into slices.
- Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Lay pork belly slices in the pan and sear until browned on both sides. Add reduced braising liquid and simmer for 2 minutes, coating pork belly in the sauce.
- Cook scrambled eggs. Crack eggs in a bowl and beat with a fork. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add eggs and cook until desired degree of doneness. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble sandwiches. Cut biscuits in half and stack pork belly on top of the bottom bun. Top with scrambled eggs, and pickled jalapenos. Drizzle extra sauce on top and some of the onions from the braising liquid. Finish with the top biscuit and serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Braise pork belly
When I initially thought of making a biscuit sandwich, I immediately knew I wanted to use pork belly as the main protein. However, I had no idea what flavors I should incorporate. So, I went with the idea of BBQ-inspired pork and threw in ketchup, applesauce, onions, garlic, and vinegar to the braising liquid.
The applesauce might seem odd, but it'll add just a touch of sweetness to the pork.
Season the pork belly with brown sugar, paprika, chile powder, salt, and pepper, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will allow the pork to absorb some of those wonderful spices.
Then, throw the pork in the Instant Pot with the remaining ingredients and pressure cook for 30 minutes.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can also cook the pork in the oven. Throw all of the ingredients into a Dutch oven and cover the pot. Bring it to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat, then transfer it to the oven and continue braising at 325 degrees F for about 2 hours or until the pork is incredibly tender.
Step 2: Prepare biscuits
While the pork belly is cooking, prepare the biscuits. I took my basic buttermilk biscuit recipe and added pepper jack cheese to the dough to create tender biscuits with a subtle cheese flavor. You can also substitute the pepper jack for sharp cheddar, gruyere, or gouda. Honestly, almost any cheese works!
You can also prepare these special cheesy chive biscuits for another option.
I used a food processor to prepare the biscuit dough, which also helped cut up the grated cheese into smaller pieces. However, you can also mix by hand and grate the cheese by hand.
Mixing the dough by hand is the safer method because there is less chance of overmixing the dough.
Bake the biscuits at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until beautifully golden brown. You can also make the biscuits the day before.
Step 3: Finish pork
When the pork is done, remove it from the braising liquid. Then, add sugar to the braising liquid and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to cook it until it's reduced by at least ½ or until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, slice the pork belly. It's easier to slice the pork belly when it's cooled, so I like to cook the pork the day before and let it chill overnight. However, you can still slice the pork even while it's warm.
To lock in more flavor into the pork belly, sear it in a saute pan over medium heat until browned on both sides. Add the reduced braising liquid and simmer everything together for 2 minutes, coating the pork belly in the sauce.
Step 4: Assemble sandwiches
While the pork belly is finishing, cook some scrambled eggs. Slice the biscuits in half, slice up the pork belly, and assemble the sandwiches. Top the pork belly with scrambled eggs and pickled jalapenos. Don't forget about those jammy onions in the sauce, too!
Man. This pork belly breakfast biscuit sandwich is an indulgent one, but it's worth the calories. The pork itself is so flavorful and pairs perfectly with scrambled eggs, pickled jalapenos, and tender biscuits. Such a wonderful way to start the day!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can make the biscuits ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container once they've cooled completely, and reheat them in the oven before assembling the sandwiches. You can also cook the pork the day before and reheat it before serving.
- Store: Leftover sandwiches can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat them in the oven or microwave until warmed through before serving.
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