Chicharrón Confit with Jocón Rub

Inspired by Nikkei cuisine’s seamless blend of Japanese technique and Peruvian soul, this dish reimagines Guatemala’s chicharrón (crispy pork) through the lens of French confit and fondant methods. The dry rub—crafted from jocón sauce ingredients (a vibrant Guatemalan herb-and-seed sauce)—bridges earthy Mayan flavors with French slow-cooking precision. Served with a bright pickled salad and anise-scented broth, it’s a dialogue between colonial history and modern innovation.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Pork Chicharrón Confit

• 4 pork belly slices (1.5-inch thick)
• Dry Rub:
  • 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (semillas de calabaza)
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (pepitoria)
  • 1 tsp dried green chili (chile pimiento verde)
  • 1 tbsp dehydrated miltomate (green tomato) powder
  • 1 tsp dehydrated tomate verde (tomatillo) powder
  • 1 tsp jalapeño powder
  • 1 tbsp freeze-dried cebollín (chives)
  • 4 garlic cloves, dehydrated and ground
  • 1 tbsp dried cilantro
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup pork fat (or olive oil)

Camote Fondant

• 2 large sweet potatoes (camotes), peeled and cut into cylinders
• 2 tbsp pork fat (reserved from confit)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Salt, pepper

Caldo Aromático

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

Pickled Salad

• 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
• 1 small beetroot, julienned
• ½ cup jicama, matchsticks
• 10 hierbabuena leaves (or mint)
• Pickling Liquid: ½ cup lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt

Pairing

• Drink 1: Cerveza Quetzalteca (toasted malt lager)
• Drink 2: Agua de Rosa de Jamaica (hibiscus iced tea with lime)

Instructions

1. Pork Chicharrón Confit

• Dry Rub: Grind all dehydrated ingredients into a fine powder. Massage onto pork belly. Cure for 12 hours.
• Confit: Submerge pork in fat. Cook at 250°F (120°C) for 3 hours until tender.
• Sear: Remove from fat, pat dry. Sear in a hot pan with pork fat until skin crackles.

2. Camote Fondant

• Sear sweet potato cylinders in pork fat until golden.
• Add broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes until caramelized.

3. Caldo Aromático

• Simmer broth with star anise, cloves, and peppercorns for 20 minutes. Strain.

4. Pickled Salad

• Toss cabbage, beetroot, jicama, and hierbabuena with pickling liquid. Let sit 30 minutes.

Plating

1. Slice pork chicharrón and place atop camote fondant.
2. Ladle caldo into small cups for sipping.
3. Mound pickled salad on the side.
4. Garnish with cebollín flowers (optional).