Pork Belly - Hot blast at start or end?

[bitchstewie]

Embarrassingly I've never cooked a pork belly but picked one up today - nothing massive I think it's about 1/2KG.

I can't do anything adventurous with it due to a fussy eater, so I assume score, oil, salt, cook, but I'm seeing some cooking guides say blast it then cook on low, and other guides saying cook on low then blast it.

What would you do please?

[calibrax]

Quick summary of my method : Score & salt the rind, leave joint overnight in the fridge (uncovered). Next day. pat dry with paper towels and put in the oven on 220c until crackling is well on the way. Turn heat down to 180c until joint is almost cooked, then back up to high temp for the last 10 minutes to finish off the crackling.

EDIT: I notice you mentioned oil - you don't need any oil at all. Ideally you want the skin as dry as possible, and there is enough fat in and under the skin to render and make the skin crackle nicely. So adding oil is pointless.

Edited by calibrax on Tuesday 5th May 22:59

[calibrax]

As you can see, my crackling always comes out lovely!

[sherman]

I would score the meat and then pour at least a full kettle of boiling water over the freshly scored meat and salt with more salt than is healthy and leave to dry out for a few hours in the fridge .

Then cook at 180c until the meat is almost cooked and then turn rhe oven up as high as it can go for the last 10 - 20 minutes

[fttm]

Jeez Calibrax that looks delicious , can rarely find pork with crackling in NA , spot on about the oil (don't).

[Dicky Knee]

Use a Stanley Knife to score the rind-simples!

[bitchstewie]

OK well having only looked this morning it won't be left salted overnight, but I've just done it and it's sitting in the fridge now - I had no idea pork belly was so tough but it appears to have been scored already (or the pig had a run in with some razor wire ).

Temps are interesting - packet says 160 degrees for just under 2 hours based on weight which is 0.7KG.

[Sharted]

I usually find that the packet instructions err on the side of caution and are either too long or too hot, maybe, both.

[calibrax]

I always use a temp probe to ensure the joint is perfectly cooked

[bitchstewie]

I have one of those - but perfectly cooked to what?

I'm seeing 75 degrees mentioned lots.

[calibrax]

bhstewie said:

I have one of those - but perfectly cooked to what?

I'm seeing 75 degrees mentioned lots.

Yep, 75 is about right, but I usually take it out once it hits 70c, as it will rise a little while resting. Remember to make sure the probe is not in contact with any bone, as it will read too high if it is

I actually have a pork leg in the oven now - this pic is after the initial blast to start off the crackling :

[Lost soul]

Blast at the end is my method

[djglover]

Our butcher told us to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the scored rind, salt, then blast for 30 mins at full then 1 hr real low. Comes out superb.

[Lost soul]

djglover said:

Our butcher told us to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the scored rind, salt, then blast for 30 mins at full then 1 hr real low. Comes out superb.

Keeps it nice and moist

[calibrax]

Lost soul said:

djglover said:

Our butcher told us to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the scored rind, salt, then blast for 30 mins at full then 1 hr real low. Comes out superb.

Keeps it nice and moist

The boiling water just helps open up the rind a bit which means you can get salt into the score marks. It doesn't make the joint moist. The salt absorbs moisture and the rest evaporates. The joint is nice and moist because of all that lovely pork fat under the rind rendering down and infusing itself into the pork

[Lost soul]

calibrax said:

Lost soul said:

djglover said:

Our butcher told us to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the scored rind, salt, then blast for 30 mins at full then 1 hr real low. Comes out superb.

Keeps it nice and moist

The boiling water just helps open up the rind a bit which means you can get salt into the score marks. It doesn't make the joint moist. The salt absorbs moisture and the rest evaporates. The joint is nice and moist because of all that lovely pork fat under the rind rendering down and infusing itself into the pork

keeps it nice and moist

[calibrax]

And here it is, the finished article... perfect cracking as always

[bitchstewie]

It's cooking now, gave it about 1/2 hr on gas 8 then reduced to gas 4 so I think about 2 hours total should do it - didn't do anything apart from some salt this morning and patted dry before it went in though I did just spoon the juices over the top.

I'm sure it will taste nice enough but I won't be posting photos

[bitchstewie]

fking delicious - it didn't come out looking too bad either but suffice to say there is none left.

Thanks all

[SpeckledJim]

Salt, pepper and ground fennel seeds rubbed in. The fennel seeds make a lovely difference.