30 mins
Slow Roasted Pork Belly
Recipe by Graham
Pork belly (or belly pork as it is variously known) is a boneless cut of fatty meat derived from the belly of a pig. In the United States, bacon is most often made from pork bellies, but here, we are going to make Slow Roasted Pork Belly until it literally falls apart. And we're going to crisp the skin so it crackles as you crunch on it.
If you're not familiar with crisp pork skin, it's known as crackling in UK and pork rind in USA. In Australia and New Zealand it's called pork crackle/crackling. Slow cooking melts most of the fat from the pork rind and any remaining fat can be easily cut away. In this recipe we'll be removing the crackling towards the end of cooking and giving it a final blast of heat on it's own. This is to avoid scorching that beautiful slow cooked pork belly right at the last minute.
It's the fat that intimidates most home cooks from trying pork belly, and it's true that there is a lot of fat on a raw pork belly joint. But most of that will render off in the roasting process Just concentrate on that fork-tender meat that lies between those layers of fat, because that's all you will get on your plate at the end of slow cooking the joint.
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb with Herb Rub 
Smoked Haddock Ingredients for Slow Roasted Pork Belly
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Slow Roasted Pork Belly
First of all, it's vital that you score the skin on the joint (or get your butcher to do it for you). Best is to use a very sharp pointed knife to draw straight lines through the fat, but try not to go all the way down to the meat.- Then you need to use absorbent kitchen paper and blot the entire joint, getting it as dry as possibly. Water will stop the skin from crackling (which is also why it is best to get your pork belly from a butcher since commercial joints are injected with huge amounts of water and other additives). Then rub the skin side (and in to some of the cracks) with coarse sea salt and pat it in place.
- Place the joint, skin side up, on a baking tray (baking sheet) and cook in a preheated very hot oven (Mk 9 - 475ºF - 240ºC) for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to Mk 1 - 275ºF - 140ºC and cook for a further 3½ hours. Remove from the oven and, using a long, sharp knife, remove the crackling from the top of the joint. Put the joint back in the oven for a final ½ hour.
- After a total of almost four-and-a-half hours cooking (why do you think it's called Slow Roasted Belly Pork??), remove the joint from the oven and allow to stand for ten minutes. Meanwhile, either return the crackling to the top of the oven and set it on very high, or place it under a hot grill (broiler). Leave it a few minutes to turn into really crisp, crunchy crackling.
- When your crackling is done stand it to one side to cool a little. Meanwhile pull the meat apart with two forks and arrange on a serving plate. Break up the crackling in to bite-sized pieces and arrange those on the platter too.
Now you need to make a decision what you are going to serve it with!! You can either go the traditional way with lots of delicious vegetables or you can be diabolically decadent and make hot pork and cranberry rolls!- If you go down the second avenue, you'll need to have made some Cranberry and Apple Sauce while the meat was cooking, and you'll need half a dozen or so soft bread rolls. Just spread the Cranberry and Apple Sauce on to the rolls before filling them with the deliciously juicy meat. You can also use the Cranberry and Apple Sauce as a dipping sauce for pieces of crackling.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you don't have the time or the inclination to make your own Cranberry Sauce, you can buy a jar and warm it before using.
Reviews of Slow Roasted Pork Belly
 March 01 2015What a wonderful recipe. Wowed my guests with gorgeous succulent meat and to die for crackling. I served this for a dinner party I threw and it went down brilliantly. The flavour was lovely. It was also the most tender and juicy pork ever. This is certainly a favourite recipe now.Cooked this now several times and we all absolutely love it and it's so easy too. Would really recommend it! Definitely will do this again. LondonGirl (4 reviews) |
 May 16 2014I had belly pork once in a restaurant it it was horrible and fatty and greasy. I left most of it. When I read through this recipe I decided to give it another try because the recipe claims that the slow cooking renders out most of the fat. And it's true!! This turned out to be the best tasting pork belly I have ever cooked. The crackling was perfect. Juicy and tender and virtually no fat. Amazing!!! I'll be doing this again now that I know! paigefromcrewe (2 reviews) |
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