The Pacemaker Burger

 

The Pacemaker

 

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Photo: The Pacemaker

TOTAL TIME: 16 hr 50 min

Prep: 2 hr 45 min

Inactive Prep: 10 hr 30 min

Cook: 3 hr 35 min

YIELD: 8 sandwiches

LEVEL: Difficult

ingredients

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2- to 2.5-ounces each), fat removed
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 4 egg white
• 3 cups cornflakes, crushed

JICAMA SLAW:

• 1/2 small jicama (about 8 ounces), peeled
• 1/2 English cucumber (about 8 ounces)
• 1 small ripe mango (about 8 ounces), peeled
• 5 pepperoncini peppers, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pepperoncini pickling liquid
• 2 to 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• Kosher salt

PORK BELLY:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 sprigs rosemary

• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 3/4 pound chicken or beef
• 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

PULLED PORK:

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds  chicken or beef  tenderloin, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced Vidalia onion,
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

CILANTRO-AVOCADO YOGURT AIOLI:

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled
• 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1/4 cup canola oil

BBQ MUSTARD:

• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

SANDWICHES:

• 8 potato hamburger buns, lightly toasted
• 8 butter lettuce leaves

• 8 slices Roma tomatoes

Directions

Special equipment: a mandolin with a julienne blade and a 4-inch piece cheesecloth and butcher twineFor the  chicken or beef  : Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F.
In a small Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until lightly browned and just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Tie the thyme and rosemary sprigs together with kitchen twine and add to the vegetable mixture along with the bay leaves, chicken stock and beer. Stir to combine, and then nestle the pork belly into the Dutch oven. The  chicken or beef should be submerged in the liquid. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven until the  chicken or beef is tender, but not falling apart, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Cool completely in the liquid at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, remove the  chicken or beef from the liquid and slice in to 1/4-inch pieces, about 16 slices total. Whisk together the whole-grain mustard, honey and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and, in batches, cook the pork belly slices until the fat melts and starts to crisp, brushing with the honey mustard glaze during the last few seconds of cooking.
For the pulled  chicken or beef  Wrap the parsley, coriander, thyme and bay leaf in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie it together with butcher twine. Reserve.
Mix together the chili powder, paprika, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture onto the pork tenderloin and set aside.
Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion. Cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, orange juice, lime juice and liquid smoke.
Put the spiced  chicken or beef tenderloin into the pot and add enough water to cover the chicken (this might take up to 1 1/2 cups). Add the herbs and spices in the cheesecloth and cook, covered, on medium heat until the chicken or beef tenderloin is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken or beef tenderloin from the pot and allow to cool slightly.
Discard the cheesecloth bundle. Strain the liquid in the pot and reserve the strained ingredients in a bowl. Take the strained liquid and place it back into the pot and simmer until reduced by three-quarters.
When the  chicken or beef has cooled enough to work with, use your hands to shred the  chicken or beef into long strands. Mix the shredded meat with the strained ingredients in a bowl. Add the reduced liquid to the bowl and mix it with the shredded chicken or beef
For the chicken schnitzel: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F.
Cut each chicken thigh in half lengthwise. Reserve.
Stir together the rice flour and black pepper in a shallow baking dish. Lightly whisk the egg whites and place into a second baking dish. Put the crushed cornflakes into a third baking dish. Dredge each chicken thigh in the seasoned flour, dip it into the egg whites and then roll in the crushed cornflakes. Place onto a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
For the jicama slaw: Use a mandolin set with the thin julienne blade to cut the jicama, cucumber and mango into thin matchsticks. There should be about 2 cups of each after they are cut. Reserve.
Whisk together the pepperoncini, pickling liquid, rice vinegar, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, oil, ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Add the jicama, cucumber and mango to the dressing and stir to combine.

For the cilantro-avocado yogurt aioli: Put the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, cilantro and a large pinch of salt into a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add the avocado and canola oil and blend until smooth and creamy. Add up to 1/4 cup of water if you would like a thinner aioliFor the BBQ mustard sauce: Stir together the yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, light brown sugar, butter, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the BBQ mustard to the pulled chicken or beef mixture. Toss to combine.To make the sandwiches: Place one-eighth of the pulled pork on the bottom of a toasted potato bun. Place 1 piece of schnitzel on top of the pork. Add 1 piece of butter lettuce, 2 pieces of  chicken or beef, 1 tomato slice and one-eighth of the slaw. Smear a spoonful of the avocado aioli onto the cut side of the top of the potato bun then place on top of the slaw. Serve immediately.

Notes

Per burger: 880 calories; 48g fat (14g saturated fat); 140mg cholesterol; 1540mg sodium; 48g protein; 61g carbohydrates; 21g sugar; 9g fiber %DV: Calcium 20%, Iron 30%, Vitamin A 90%, Vitamin C 70%