Crispy Slow-cooked Pork Belly and Gravy

Instructions

- Remove the pork from its packaging, place it on a plate or chopping board and pat the skin dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Place it in the fridge, uncovered, skin-side up, and leave for 6 hours (minimum) or up to 24 hours (best). If you don’t have time to air-dry, you can still make this recipe - it will still produce amazing crackling, just not quite as puffy as the photos. - Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F) (all oven types). It needs to be very hot, so don’t rush this step - most ovens need a good 20 minutes to heat properly. - Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Pat the skin dry again with a paper towel to remove any fresh moisture (even if you air-dried it overnight). Turn the pork over so it’s skin-side down. Drizzle the flesh (not the skin) with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt, fennel seeds and pepper. Use your hands to coat the flesh of the pork (including the sides). - Arrange the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a large, deep roasting pan. Place the pork, flesh-side down, on top of the vegetables. Use the vegetables to prop the pork up so that it sits as level as possible - this helps the crackling form evenly. - Pat the skin dry one more time. Rub the olive oil over the top of the skin so it’s lightly and evenly coated. Sprinkle the sea salt flakes evenly across the surface - this even layer of salt is key to crispy, puffy crackling. Don’t leave the pork sitting around with the salt on it; once salted, it needs to go straight into the oven. - Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is starting to dry out and small bubbles begin forming. It will not be fully crackling at this stage - this step simply jump-starts the process and guarantees a great result later. - Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F) (140°C/275°F fan-forced). Carefully pour 3 cups (750 ml) of water into the base of the pan (not over the pork - keep the skin dry). Roast for 2 hours, or until the pork is tender when pierced through the side with a knife - adding more water, 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) at a time, if the tray looks like it’s drying out or if the vegetables start to catch. - Remove the pork from the oven. Transfer the pork belly, skin-side up, to a foil-lined baking tray with a wire rack placed on top. - Place the pork on a high shelf and grill (broil) for 2-3 minutes, or until the skin puffs and turns golden. WATCH IT CLOSELY - crackling can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. If any spots are browning too quickly, cover them with a small piece of foil. Set the pork aside to rest for at least 15 minutes while you make the gravy. - Place the original roasting pan (with the vegetables) on the stovetop over medium heat. If there is a lot of excess fat in the tray, ladle out all but 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to form a thick paste. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking as you go. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, scraping up all the golden, flavour-packed bits from the base of the tray. - Pour the gravy through a sieve into a small saucepan, using the back of a spoon to press as much flavour out of the vegetables as possible. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. - Place the pork belly on a clean chopping board, skin-side down (this prevents the crackling from shattering). Slice into thick pieces (about 1.5 cm/1⁄2 inch) and serve with mashed potatoes, braised cabbage, apple sauce, gravy and a sprinkle of finely chopped dill and parsley.

Crispy Slow-cooked Pork Belly and Gravy

Instructions

Ingredients