The savory scent of pork-filled GAB Studios on Sunday afternoon as a group of Miami's most notable chefs joined forces for P.I.G. 4, the swine-heavy feast led by Jeremiah Bullfrog.
During these all-you-can-eat extravaganzas, food enthusiasts like to crown the top dish -- the so-called bite of the night. But this time around, it was a hard thing to do.
See also: P.I.G. 4: Jeremiah Bullfrog Unites With Miami's Best Chefs to Celebrate the Hog
The Dutch's station proffered massive, curled sheets of chicharrón, which were a favorite among guests. Throughout the night, chef Conor Hanlon encouraged pig-aficionados to tear off a piece of hog and enjoy.
He also made pork German-style and offered a choucroute garnie with weisswurst sausage -- made with Wynwood Brewing's IPA, fermented daikon sauerkraut cooked in duck fat, pork belly, and Dijon mustard.
The tweezer was the cooking tool of the night. The preferred garnish: Edible flowers. The pretty florals made their way onto Eating House's pate, which was filled with pho spices and served on a slice of Cuban bread.
Bright yellow-orange flowers also made their way onto Antonio Bachour's eye-popping sweet potato bacon "pies" -- served with bacon crumble and maple-citrus gel.
Jeremiah Bullfrong repped Mexico and served a rich, spicy posole with chewy chickpea cavatelli pasta.
One of the most interesting bites came from Brad Kilgore of J&G Grill. His pork raviolo with sea greens and lardon-matsutake mushroom emulsion was vaguely reminiscent of Korean pork and oysters, thanks to the brininess of the greens and the seaweed-flecked sheets of pasta.
The highlight of the night was P.I.G.'s second phase. It began subtly, as row after row of cucumber pickles and salt-roasted carrots were laid out on the large communal table in the center of the gallery. Soon, big hunks of pig made their way from the stainless steel smoker outside and into the gallery. Bullfrog cut away pieces of cheek, neck, and spine -- doling out fatty, juicy bites with a pair of tweezers.
Nearby, Aaron Brooks of Edge Steak & Bar served up the most significant plate of the night, which was provided free of charge. It featured crispy pork rib, jackfruit mostarda, a hunk of blue cheese-braised pork belly, and a two-bite slider filled with pork terrine, bread-and-butter pickles, and an edible flower.
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