Fragrant Pork Belly

 

Fragrant Pork Belly

Brief Description

Crisp-skinned pork belly finished with a long, gentle braise in aromatic stock infused with lemongrass, cardamom and star anise. Rich yet fragrant, with perfect crackling and melting meat beneath.

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Key Details

• Serves: 4

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cook Time: 2½–3 hours

• Total Time: About 3 hours 20 minutes

• Difficulty: Medium

• Dietary: Gluten-free

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Ingredients

• 1 kg pork belly

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, bruised

• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

• 4 cardamom pods

• 1 star anise

• 1 litre stock (chicken or pork)

• 2 tbsp sugar

• Sea salt, for the skin

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Method

1. Heat the oven to 230°C fan.

2. Ensure the pork belly skin is clean and completely dry. Score the skin neatly with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut into the flesh.

3. Place the pork belly in a deep ovenproof dish. Pat the skin dry again and rub generously with sea salt.

4. Roast for 25 minutes, until the skin puffs and forms crisp crackling.

5. Remove from the oven. Scatter the onion, garlic, lemongrass, cardamom, star anise and sugar into the dish around the pork, not on top of the crackling.

6. Pour in enough stock to come just below the crackling.

7. Cover the dish tightly with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 140°C fan.

8. Braise for 2–3 hours, until the pork is very tender.

9. Remove from the oven and rest briefly before slicing.

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Alternative method

Sous-vide, then roast:
Score and season the pork belly (without salting the skin). Seal with the aromatics, sugar and stock and cook at 68°C for 18–24 hours. Remove, dry the skin thoroughly, salt generously and roast at 230°C fan until crisp.

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Storage

• Freezer: Yes, without crackling, up to 2 months
  (Re-crisp skin separately.)

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Serve with

• Apple slaw

• Crispy potato chips or roast potatoes

• Simple greens with acidity

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Source

Adapted from a recipe originally published in the cookbook Two.

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Tags

main, pork, slow-cooked, gluten-free