Discussion
So, It's pork belly on the menu for thursday night, dinner for 4.
My plan is lateral scores across the skin, 7-8mm apart, and rubbing in a 50/50 mixture of salt and ground fennel seeds, quick blast at the highest my oven will go, then 3-ish hours at 150ish.
Fennel, sticky carrots and a sloppy potato and broccoli dauphinoise to accompany...
...has anyone got any better ideas for my pork before I kit-up and ship-out to the shops???
Ta
My plan is lateral scores across the skin, 7-8mm apart, and rubbing in a 50/50 mixture of salt and ground fennel seeds, quick blast at the highest my oven will go, then 3-ish hours at 150ish.
Fennel, sticky carrots and a sloppy potato and broccoli dauphinoise to accompany...
...has anyone got any better ideas for my pork before I kit-up and ship-out to the shops???
Ta
Hi
I did pork belly on sunday, very similar to how you suggest and it was out of this world, the crackling was the best I've had, not bad for a first attempt.
I laid my pork out on the kitchen side for about 30 minutes before rubing table salt into the deep scores I had made with my stanley knife. I then turned it over and laid out fresh sage and a whole lemon sliced thickly then rolled and tied the pork with string.
Into the pre heated oven(max power) for 30 mins after this time take it out and turn the oven down to 150(the crackling is pretty crisp by this point) once the oven has cooled down back in for 3 hours.
After 3 hours remove stand for 10 mins, slice and serve with homemade chunky apple sauce and creamy mash potato, fantastic.
kev
I did pork belly on sunday, very similar to how you suggest and it was out of this world, the crackling was the best I've had, not bad for a first attempt.
I laid my pork out on the kitchen side for about 30 minutes before rubing table salt into the deep scores I had made with my stanley knife. I then turned it over and laid out fresh sage and a whole lemon sliced thickly then rolled and tied the pork with string.
Into the pre heated oven(max power) for 30 mins after this time take it out and turn the oven down to 150(the crackling is pretty crisp by this point) once the oven has cooled down back in for 3 hours.
After 3 hours remove stand for 10 mins, slice and serve with homemade chunky apple sauce and creamy mash potato, fantastic.
kev
There's all kinds of variations on this theme.
Personally I like five spice and hot ground sichuan and normal pepper with salt and sugar as a rub. Then serve with rice and Bok-choi in a soy and sesame dressing.
The only advice is to put the belly on a rack in the roasting tray and when you turn the oven down put a layer of water in the tray and top up as necessary. This helps to steam the belly and keep it nice and moist while the cracking evolves into a truly crispy and wondrous thing.
Personally I like five spice and hot ground sichuan and normal pepper with salt and sugar as a rub. Then serve with rice and Bok-choi in a soy and sesame dressing.
The only advice is to put the belly on a rack in the roasting tray and when you turn the oven down put a layer of water in the tray and top up as necessary. This helps to steam the belly and keep it nice and moist while the cracking evolves into a truly crispy and wondrous thing.
I love pork belly and enjoy a good old fashioned slow roast from time to time, however my my favourite pork belly recipe and always an absolute winner for dinner parties (because you can prep everything in advance and then reheat) is as follows:
remove skin in one piece leaving approx 2mm of fat on the meat and air the skin on a cooling rack for up to 2 days
marinade pork over night in the following:
1 tablespoon fine chopped tyme
1 teaspoon fine chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
half an onion very finely chopped
2 clove garlic finely chopped.
pinch of salt and pepper
After it has marinated wipe off the marinade, roll the pork into a tight roll and tie securely. braise the pork in chicken stock 1 carrot 1 onion half a bulb of garlic 1 stick celery and the remaining marinade at about 130dc for around 4 1/5 hours. dont add any salt and use decent stock- (not a salty stock cube) top up with water to cover the meat.
After the braise, alow to cool in the stock until you are able to handle it comfortably remove the meat and remove the string and wrap the meat tightly in several layers of clingfilm and allow it to cool to room temperature so that the fat/ gelatine solidifies. (you could refrigerate and then use the next day if needed)
strain the cooking liquid through a fine seive or muslin and reduce to a syrupy consistancy adding a splash of madeira is optional
salt peppar and then cook the skin in a hot oven for approx 30 mins until crispy- it should produce an amazing bubbly surface if dried properly
slice the belly into inch thick slices (then remove the clingfilm) and then season with salt and peppar and fry gently in a thin layer of rendered pork fat for two minuets on either side until golden brown.
serve the pork with a drizzle of the sweet reduction and the crackling, i serve with roast parsnips, buttery kale and deep fried parsnip crisps.
the pork will be unbelievably tender, the crackling brilliantly crisp and the reduction delicious with the pork, almost tofee like in flavour.
remove skin in one piece leaving approx 2mm of fat on the meat and air the skin on a cooling rack for up to 2 days
marinade pork over night in the following:
1 tablespoon fine chopped tyme
1 teaspoon fine chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
half an onion very finely chopped
2 clove garlic finely chopped.
pinch of salt and pepper
After it has marinated wipe off the marinade, roll the pork into a tight roll and tie securely. braise the pork in chicken stock 1 carrot 1 onion half a bulb of garlic 1 stick celery and the remaining marinade at about 130dc for around 4 1/5 hours. dont add any salt and use decent stock- (not a salty stock cube) top up with water to cover the meat.
After the braise, alow to cool in the stock until you are able to handle it comfortably remove the meat and remove the string and wrap the meat tightly in several layers of clingfilm and allow it to cool to room temperature so that the fat/ gelatine solidifies. (you could refrigerate and then use the next day if needed)
strain the cooking liquid through a fine seive or muslin and reduce to a syrupy consistancy adding a splash of madeira is optional
salt peppar and then cook the skin in a hot oven for approx 30 mins until crispy- it should produce an amazing bubbly surface if dried properly
slice the belly into inch thick slices (then remove the clingfilm) and then season with salt and peppar and fry gently in a thin layer of rendered pork fat for two minuets on either side until golden brown.
serve the pork with a drizzle of the sweet reduction and the crackling, i serve with roast parsnips, buttery kale and deep fried parsnip crisps.
the pork will be unbelievably tender, the crackling brilliantly crisp and the reduction delicious with the pork, almost tofee like in flavour.
We have pork shoulder or belly quite regularly, just with a typical roast.
I'll have to give that a go Pete - sounds pretty damn impressive!
ETA: Funnily enough one of the guys at work mentioned today that his Dad braises pork belly in coca cola.
I'll have to give that a go Pete - sounds pretty damn impressive!
ETA: Funnily enough one of the guys at work mentioned today that his Dad braises pork belly in coca cola.
Edited by sonic_2k_uk on Thursday 13th May 20:21
sonic_2k_uk said:
We have pork shoulder or belly quite regularly, just with a typical roast.
I'll have to give that a go Pete - sounds pretty damn impressive!
ETA: Funnily enough one of the guys at work mentioned today that his Dad braises pork belly in coca cola.
Forgot to add- i have recently been serving the pork belly on a heaped dessert spoonful of anise infused onion puree. this has an almost vanilla like flavour and marries with the richness of the pork really well.I'll have to give that a go Pete - sounds pretty damn impressive!
ETA: Funnily enough one of the guys at work mentioned today that his Dad braises pork belly in coca cola.
Edited by sonic_2k_uk on Thursday 13th May 20:21
tomash said:
There's all kinds of variations on this theme.
Personally I like five spice and hot ground sichuan and normal pepper with salt and sugar as a rub. Then serve with rice and Bok-choi in a soy and sesame dressing.
The only advice is to put the belly on a rack in the roasting tray and when you turn the oven down put a layer of water in the tray and top up as necessary. This helps to steam the belly and keep it nice and moist while the cracking evolves into a truly crispy and wondrous thing.
or cider instead of the waterPersonally I like five spice and hot ground sichuan and normal pepper with salt and sugar as a rub. Then serve with rice and Bok-choi in a soy and sesame dressing.
The only advice is to put the belly on a rack in the roasting tray and when you turn the oven down put a layer of water in the tray and top up as necessary. This helps to steam the belly and keep it nice and moist while the cracking evolves into a truly crispy and wondrous thing.
Well running a bit late i manage to get the pork in just before 5 sitting on a bed of onions.
Well so far so good, crackling is nice a crisp (had a lil tiny bit) but the onions OMG (I love onions, raw, fried etc etc) and i ate the tops of two of thema dn the taste of the pork into them........WOW
Im currently looking at the clock and waiting till 7.30 but like above so far so good.....
then poker with the boys later tonight
Well so far so good, crackling is nice a crisp (had a lil tiny bit) but the onions OMG (I love onions, raw, fried etc etc) and i ate the tops of two of thema dn the taste of the pork into them........WOW
Im currently looking at the clock and waiting till 7.30 but like above so far so good.....
then poker with the boys later tonight
cooking this again (wow i feel sorry for my heart)
last time, for the remaining 30 minutes i put a bit of water on the roasting tray but was wondering should i do this from the start?
also do i have to put water in as i would like to put my boiled potatoes in with the roast with an hour to go but if there is water in my roasting tray they'll just get soggggggggy
quick answer if possible as its currently in at the moment (first 30 minutes at 250) fan oven and will be turned down to 165/170 for 2hrs and a bit
last time, for the remaining 30 minutes i put a bit of water on the roasting tray but was wondering should i do this from the start?
also do i have to put water in as i would like to put my boiled potatoes in with the roast with an hour to go but if there is water in my roasting tray they'll just get soggggggggy
quick answer if possible as its currently in at the moment (first 30 minutes at 250) fan oven and will be turned down to 165/170 for 2hrs and a bit
This can go one of two ways
Score the skin and rub in plenty of salt and some pepper for good measure. Give the meat side a foil blanket (with a little oil, garlic, salt & pepper and whatever takes your fancy herb wise inside) leave just the skin exposed. Cook long and slow (100-125° for about 3-4 hours easy) till the meat is very tender, which it will be as it has been sitting snug in its own juices. For the last 30 mins the heat goes hot hot hot and it will end up with serious crackling
Or
Several layers of paper towel on the fat/skin side of the meat to dry it out (do not score this time) on the meat side you want a dry rub (plenty of these in the BBQ sticky) my own favourite being ground up Szechuan Peppercorns, mixed peppercorns, salt, five spice, brown sugar (think a dark sugar tastes so much better when being used to cook with) anyway... rub the rub in and leave (flesh side up) for 8 hours at least (so last thing at night if cooking for lunch the next day and first thing in the morning if cooking for dinner) then cook at 180° for about 2 hours (1.5kg piece) on a rack with a tray of water beneath (personally I use a clean grill pan and make sure I regularly top it up with water) then zap it on inferno till the crackling is done (15-20 mins probably) leave to rest and enjoy.
Friday I am hitting the butchers for Pork Belly I think
Score the skin and rub in plenty of salt and some pepper for good measure. Give the meat side a foil blanket (with a little oil, garlic, salt & pepper and whatever takes your fancy herb wise inside) leave just the skin exposed. Cook long and slow (100-125° for about 3-4 hours easy) till the meat is very tender, which it will be as it has been sitting snug in its own juices. For the last 30 mins the heat goes hot hot hot and it will end up with serious crackling
Or
Several layers of paper towel on the fat/skin side of the meat to dry it out (do not score this time) on the meat side you want a dry rub (plenty of these in the BBQ sticky) my own favourite being ground up Szechuan Peppercorns, mixed peppercorns, salt, five spice, brown sugar (think a dark sugar tastes so much better when being used to cook with) anyway... rub the rub in and leave (flesh side up) for 8 hours at least (so last thing at night if cooking for lunch the next day and first thing in the morning if cooking for dinner) then cook at 180° for about 2 hours (1.5kg piece) on a rack with a tray of water beneath (personally I use a clean grill pan and make sure I regularly top it up with water) then zap it on inferno till the crackling is done (15-20 mins probably) leave to rest and enjoy.
Friday I am hitting the butchers for Pork Belly I think
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