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Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly with Apple Sauce and Cauliflower Puree Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 55 reviews
  • Author: Ethan
  • Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (excluding overnight skin drying)
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

This Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly recipe yields succulent, tender pork with irresistibly crispy crackling. Utilizing a low and slow roasting technique followed by a high-heat blast, the pork belly skin transforms into a golden, puffy, crackling masterpiece while the meat beneath remains juicy and flavorful. The recipe includes tips for drying the skin overnight for optimal crispness and suggests serving with complementary sauces like Apple Sauce, Vermouth Jus, and Cauliflower Puree for an elegant dining experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Pork Belly

  • 1 kg (2 lb) pork belly with skin on
  • 1 1/2 tsp olive oil (divided)
  • 1/2 tsp fennel powder or ground fennel seeds (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt or 7/8 tsp table salt, divided)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Sauces and Sides

  • Apple Sauce (to serve)
  • Vermouth Jus (to serve)
  • Cauliflower Puree (to serve)

Instructions

  1. Dry skin overnight: Place the pork belly on a plate and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to dry out the skin thoroughly. If time is limited, pat the skin dry as best as possible before proceeding.
  2. Preheat oven: Set your oven to 140°C (285°F) or 120°C (fan-forced) to prepare for slow roasting.
  3. Season the flesh: Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the flesh side of the pork belly only. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the black pepper, and fennel powder evenly across the flesh and rub well into all cracks and sides to ensure thorough seasoning.
  4. Wrap in foil: Place two sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Put the pork belly in the center skin side up. Fold the sides of the foil up and around the meat, pinching the corners tightly to form a snug, sealed open box, then place it on a tray.
  5. Season the skin: Use paper towels to ensure the skin is dry again. Rub 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil evenly over the entire skin surface, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt all over the skin from edge to edge, ensuring full coverage for crispiness.
  6. Slow roast for 2 1/2 hours: Place the foil-wrapped pork belly in the preheated oven and roast. After 1 1/2 hours, carefully remove it and tighten the foil seal as the pork will have shrunk. Return to the oven and continue roasting for the remaining 1 hour to keep the meat moist and the fat level high.
  7. Increase oven heat: Remove the pork belly from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 240°C (465°F) and allow to come to temperature.
  8. Prepare pork for crisping: Remove the pork belly from the foil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Prop up the pork belly using scrunched foil balls to level the skin surface horizontally for even crisping.
  9. High heat roast for 30 minutes: Place the pork belly back in the oven and roast at high heat for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Keep an eye on the skin; if certain areas brown too quickly, shield them with small foil patches. Expect some smoke and make sure to ventilate your kitchen.
  10. Rest the pork: Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
  11. Slice and serve: Using a serrated knife, slice the pork belly into 2 cm (about ⅘ inch) thick pieces. Serve with suggested sauces like Apple Sauce, Vermouth Jus, and Cauliflower Puree for a fine dining presentation.

Notes

  • Drying the skin overnight in the fridge is crucial for crisp crackling but if pressed for time, pat the skin dry thoroughly before cooking.
  • Cauliflower puree adds a smooth, creamy side that pairs beautifully with the rich pork belly and sauces.
  • Fennel powder is optional but adds a subtle anise flavor enhancing the pork’s savory depth.
  • Using a wire rack helps the hot air circulate around the pork for a more evenly crisped skin.
  • Open the oven carefully during the high-heat phase as it may produce smoke due to fat rendering and crisping the skin.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus overnight drying time)
  • Cook Time: 3 hours (2 1/2 hours slow roasting plus 30 minutes high heat roasting)
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: British

Keywords: pork belly, crispy pork belly, slow roasted pork, crackling pork, oven roasted pork belly, pork roast recipe, fennel pork belly

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Find it online: https://theethankitchen.com/slow-roasted-crispy-pork-belly-with-apple-sauce-and-cauliflower-puree-recipe/