Wednesday 24 November 2010

Brined & Roasted Pork Belly

This recipe is adapted from the one out of the excellent Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson. I've reduced the amount of brine and cut the brining time down to 1 day.

The brine
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 300g sea salt
  • 6 cloves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 litres water
Bring all the brine ingredients together in a pot and bring to the boil so the sugar and salt melt. Pour into a container and allow to cool.

The Recipe
  • 2kg piece of pork belly, with skin on
  • 2 onions,
  • splash of olive oil
  • a pinch of coarse sea salt
  1. Get your butcher to score the rind of a 1.5kg to 2kg pork belly or do it yourself with a sharp stanley knife
  2. Place the pork belly into a large piece of tupperware (Lakeland Plastics 6 Litre containers are great for this)
  3. Cover with the brine and leave in the fridge for 24 hours
  4. Chop the onions and pace on the base of a roasting tray.
  5. Lay the belly on top. Rub the skin with a little oil and then the salt.
  6. Place in a medium to hot oven for approximately 1.5-2 hours.
  7. When cooked you should have crispy skin on top of soft and giving fatty flesh.
  8. Lift off the onions and serve.