Crispy pork belly · Western

Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

Name: Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 185 min
Ingredients: 1 kg Pork belly with skin on; 1 1/2 tsp Olive oil (divided); 1/2 tsp fennel powder / ground fennel seeds (optional, Note 3); 1 tsp Salt (cooking/kosher salt (or 7/8 tsp table salt), divided); 1/4 tsp Black pepper; Apple sauce; Vermouth Jus; Cauliflower puree ((Note 2))

Preparation5min

Cooking3h

Ready in3h 5min

Serves4

Ingredients

1 kg Pork belly with skin on
1 1/2 tsp Olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp fennel powder / ground fennel seeds, optional, Note 3
1 tsp Salt, cooking/kosher salt (or 7/8 tsp table salt), divided
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Apple sauce
Vermouth Jus
Cauliflower puree, (Note 2)

Method

Place pork belly on a plate. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out the skin. (If you don't have time, pat the skin dry as best you can).
Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan).
Drizzle flesh (only) with 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle over 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper and fennel powder. Rub all over the flesh, including on the sides, being sure you get right into all the cracks and crevices.
Place 2 pieces of foil on a work surface. Put the belly in middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, forming an open box, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible. Place meat on a tray.
Pat skin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp salt evenly all over the skin surface, from edge to edge.
Place in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, remove and tighten the foil (pork will have shrunk), and continue cooking. This keeps the pork fat level up as high as possible, and the flesh protected so it stays moist.
Remove pork from oven, then increase heat to 240°C (all oven types).
Remove pork from foil and place on a rack set over a tray (using rack is best, but optional). Use scrunched up balls of foil stuffed under pork to prop up so the skin surface is as level and horizontal as possible (see photos in post).
30 minutes on high heat! Place the pork back in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes as needed, until the crackling is deep golden, puffy and crispy all over. If some patches are browning faster, protect with foil patches. ⚠️ Open oven with care as it will be smokey - open your windows!
Remove pork from oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Slice into 2cm-thick slices using a serrated knife. Pictured in post with Apple Sauce and Vermouth Jus, with a side of Cauliflower Puree (Note 2)! See directions in post for how to plate it up as pictured (fine dining style!), as well as a list of more sauce options.