Pork Tots
| Serves | 16 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Potatoes, Pork |
| Day Part | Snack |
| Menu Part | Appetizer/Small Plate |
| Cuisine Type | American |
Chef Christian Gosselin
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Chef Christian Gosselin upgrades the classic tater tot to turn the side dish into a satisfying snack. He braises pork shoulder in a flavorful stock, then forms the tender meat into small balls. The balls are enrobed in a potato mixture and deep-fried, then served with a ketchup-based housemade condiment. Leftover braised or pulled pork can work too.
Ingredients
Braised pork shoulder
½ lb. pork shoulder
10 qt. chicken stock
1/3 cup mirepoix, cooked
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. coriander seeds
2 tbsp. rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
1 tbsp. sea salt
2 bay leaves, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lacque sauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
100 g ketchup
60 g soy sauce
20 g honey
Pinch chili flakes
Tots
1 lb. potatoes, peeled, julienned and blanched
1/2 tbsp. corn starch
1/4 tbsp. onion powder
1/5 tbsp. paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb. braised pork shoulder (recipe above)
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup lacque sauce (recipe above)
Steps
- For braised pork, clean pork skin off shoulder but leave some fat; refrigerate to air dry for 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300 F. In large ovenproof pot, warm chicken stock with mirepoix and all seasonings except salt and pepper. When the stock simmers, add pork. Braise in oven about 6 hours or until the meat falls apart. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cool meat and portion into ½-ounce balls.
- Meanwhile, for lacque sauce, combine all ingredients in saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until reduced, stirring occasionally.
- For tots, heat oil in deep fryer to 350 F. Pulse blanched potatoes in food processor until ground but not pureed. Add corn starch, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper to potato mixture; pulse to blend.
- Press 1 ounce tot mix around braised pork ball and shape into tater tot. Deep-fry tots for 3 minutes or until golden; drain. Serve with side of lacque sauce.
Photo courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission