If I ever let my wife into the kitchen, this is what I would want her to cook for me for Father’s Day lunch. But because I’m a control freak and won’t let anyone anywhere NEAR my kitchen, I’ve decided to cook it myself. It’s no hardship, honestly.
This pork belly involves three stages: marination, slow-cooking, then pan-frying. It is melt-in-the-mouth sensational.
Serves 2-4, depending on appetite
1 kg piece of pork belly
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp rock salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1 whole star anise (optional)
1 glass white wine
200ml chicken stock
1. Unroll the pork belly, skin-side up and score the skins with a sharp knife and rub salt and pepper into the skin. Turn the pork over ready for the next stage.
2. In a pestle and mortar, pound all the marinade ingredients together (not the wine and stock), then smear onto the meat side of the pork.
3. Roll and tie the pork together with string. Turn the slow-cooker to low, add the wine and stock, then gently place the pork into the cooker. Cook for 6-8 hours until meat is very tender.
4. Remove the pork from the cooker and leave to rest. Reserve, strain, then skim the fat off the liquid to make gravy. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan, then carefully lay the cooked pork in the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 mins, until the skin turns crispy and starts to blacken.
5. Serve to the mother of your children, even though it’s supposed to be Father’s Day, with creamy mashed potatoes and buttered cabbage. Thicken the reserved stock with some cornflour to make the gravy.
• And if you liked that, you’ll like this: my pal John Clayton’s stunning Cheat’s Risotto. Head over to his blog for the recipe now. Or if slow-cooker grub is your thing, why not Link up at Dawn The Moiderer’s Slow Cooker Revolution
This is so cruel. I am stuck in London City airport with an outrageously priced tub of fruit and I want that now!
We got as far as Hugh F-W’s recipe for slow-roast pork in his imaginatively titled book “MEAT”. I’ve never needed another. The smell of it cooking gives you a huge appetite, timing’s never a problem and we always cook a massive slab of pork so there’s always enough for sarnies later. But yours sounds good as well!
that looks soooo good! Won’t be cooking it myself because it doesn’t quite fit in with the Slimming World plan I’m doing it, but will forward onto my Dad. He will adore it!
Think I might do this tomorrow actually. Will report back to you. Two things though – 1. eating it in front of the telly??? Tut tut. And 2. Your mash looks like it needs a bit more milk and butter…Just saying!
Did it. Awesome. Went down a storm. Muchas gracias.
That looks crackin! I have just eaten a bag of quavers.
Your blog is great, just discovered it today x
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Doing this for the third time today – think you should have sold me shares in it…
Honoured and flattered. Lemony roast chicken and roast potatoes for us tonight.
At last! I managed to try this. Had the pork belly in the freezer waiting a while. Had to use my oven, I havent got a slow cooker.. yet. Cooked the 500g-ish belly in a pan with lid for 6-ish hrs on 120C Fan. Absolutely yummy! Will be doing this one again! More chilli next time for me… Pity the wife’s a Veggie, she’s missing a treat