Braised Pork Belly Adobo By Chef Leah Cohen Recipe By Tasty Food

BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, carefully place one piece of pork in the saute pan and sear, turning once, until golden. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of pork. Set aside.
• Carefully add the beer to the drippings in the pan and cook, scraping up the cooked bits with a wooden spoon, until reduced.
• Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in a large flame-proof roasting pan over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the pork to the roasting pan. Add the deglazed pan juices and enough chicken stock to cover the pork and vegetables. Add the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves and 2 generous pinches of salt. Cover the pan with foil and braise for 3 hours. Remove the foil and roast 30 minutes more. This will allow the pork to gain a beautiful color and for the braising liquid to reduce.
• Let the pork cool in the braising liquid for 30 minutes to increase tenderness. Remove the pork from the roasting pan and strain the braising liquid. Refrigerate separately until ready to use. The pork can be served sliced or shredded.

PORK BELLY ADOBO

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce, garlic, sugar and peppercorns in a large bowl. Add the pork and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight, covered (can be marinated in a resealable 1-gallon freezer bag). Mix twice at regular intervals to marinate thoroughly.
• Drain the pork in a colander over a bowl; reserve the marinade and garlic. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork in batches, making sure not to crowd the meat and turning often until all sides are brown, 6 to 8 minutes per batch (the peppercorns may adhere to the pork, which is fine). Watch closely: The sugar in the marinade will cause the pork to darken quickly if the pot is too hot-lower the heat if necessary to avoid burning. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon; set aside.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the Dutch oven. Add the garlic from the marinade and the onions, and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add back the pork, the strained marinade, 1 cup water and the bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook at a medium boil, stirring periodically, until the pork is tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour 25 minutes.
• Add the vinegar, but do not stir. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of a loose marinara, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the heat, and skim and discard fat (pork belly will render a good amount). Allow the pork and sauce to sit 15 minutes before serving; the sauce will continue to thicken. Serve over jasmine rice.