James Martin Belly Pork Strips Food

BELLY PORK STRIPS IN BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• First of all, make sure the strips of belly pork are absolutely dry by patting them with kitchen paper. Then rub each one all over with olive oil and season with freshly milled pepper (but no salt because of the sauce). Now pop them into the roasting tin, tucking the chopped onion in among them and sprinkling them with a few more drops of oil. Place the tin on the highest shelf in the oven and let them cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make up the barbecue sauce simply by whisking all the sauce ingredients together until blended thoroughly. When the pork has been cooking for 30 minutes, pour off any excess oil from the roasting tin, then pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and cook for a further 25 minutes, basting frequently.

STICKY SLOW-ROAST BELLY OF PORK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lay the pork, skin-side up, on a rack in a roasting tin. Trickle with a little oil, then lightly press on the crushed peppercorns and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. Place in the oven, then cook for 1 hr. Remove from the oven and baste with the juices. Continue to cook for a further 1½ hrs, basting every 20 mins.
• Put the sliced onions in the roasting tin under the pork. Mix the honey together with the cumin and chilli, brush it over the pork, then increase the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Cook for a further 30-40 mins, basting occasionally, until caramelised with a rich, golden glaze over the pork. Once cooked and tender (this can be easily tested by piercing the flesh with a knife), remove pork from the oven, then leave to rest for 10-15 mins.
• While the pork is resting, heat the tin on the stove with the onions, adding 2 tbsp water. This will lift any residue from the pan, creating a moist cooking liquor. Season the onions with salt and pepper, then divide between 6 plates. Carve pork into 6 portions, then serve on top of the onions. Pour any remaining liquor over and serve with the Pumpkin mash (below).

PORK BELLY SLICES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 4. Dry the belly slices with kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce and toss the slices in the sauce in a roasting tin. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1hr 30 mins, until completely tender.
• Remove the foil and turn the grill to its highest setting. Grill the meat for 3-4 mins, turning it halfway and brushing over the sauce from the tin, until the sauce is thick and sticky and the slices are charred. Alternatively, put the braised slices on the barbecue and baste in the sauce from the roasting pan as they sizzle away. Serve in buns with coleslaw.

PERFECT ROAST PORK BELLY WITH CABBAGE AND BACON

Steps:

• For the pork belly, place the pork belly, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, thyme, star anise and cinnamon sticks into a large saucepan. Cover with cold water until the pork is just covered.
• Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two hours.
• Remove the pork belly from the mixture and place between two heavy baking trays. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
• Preheat the oven to 225C/450F/Gas 8.
• Remove the pork from the fridge and cut into four squares.
• Heat an ovenproof frying pan until hot, add half of the butter and the pork belly pieces, skin-side down. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Carefully turn the pork belly pieces over and pour over the honey. Roast the pork belly in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the pork skin is crisp.
• Meanwhile, bring the red wine and beef stock to the boil in a saucepan and cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half. Whisk in the remaining butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Meanwhile for the sautéed cabbage and bacon, heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming and fry the bacon until crisp and golden-brown. Add the cabbage and Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for a further minute. Add the water and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, or until the cabbage is just tender.
• Stir in the chervil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the apple sauce, heat the butter and Bramley apples in a lidded saucepan over a gentle heat. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the apples have collapsed and are soft and fluffy. Stir the mixture to form a smooth purée.
• To serve, spoon the sautéed cabbage onto serving plates and top with a piece of pork belly.
• Spoon over the red wine sauce and serve the apple sauce alongside.

THREE-HOUR PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Toast 2 tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp black peppercorns in a dry frying pan for a couple of mins. Pound them together in a pestle and mortar with some flaked sea salt, the leaves from 1 small bunch of thyme and 3 garlic cloves to make a paste.
• Mix with 2 tbsp olive oil and rub all over the flesh of a 1½ - 2kg piece of boneless pork belly. Cover and chill, leaving to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, rub the skin of the joint with plenty of salt and 1 tbsp more olive oil. Sit on a wire rack in a roasting tin and roast at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 mins.
• After this time, squeeze 2 lemons over the skin and turn the heat down to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Roast for a further 2 hrs.
• Finally, turn the heat back up to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7 and give it a final blast for another 30 mins or so, to finish the crackling.
• Allow to rest somewhere warm for 20 mins. Carve up into chunks or slices and serve with the braised cabbage (below) and bay-infused potatoes (see 'goes well with').

STICKY BELLY PORK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2, then sit the pork belly in a deep roasting dish. Mix the remaining ingredients with 1 tsp salt, then rub all over the pork. Cover, roast for 3 hrs, then uncover, slice the pork into 16 short, fat chops. Spoon over the sauce from the dish, then roast, uncovered, for another hour, turning the strips halfway. Cool, cover, then chill for up to 24 hours.
• About 15 mins before you are ready to barbecue, pop the pork into a low oven to melt the sauce making sure the strips are nicely coated in it. Barbecue, skin-side down first, to crisp up, then cook for just a few mins, turning, until heated through and the sauce is sticky.

SLOW-ROAST BELLY OF PORK

Steps:

• If you have the pork bones, roast them until browned, then transfer to a pan and cover with 1 litre chicken stock. Gently simmer for 1 hr, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface (you will need about 500ml for the gravy). If you don't have pork bones, don't worry about this stage.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the pork on a wire rack in a roasting tray, skin side up, and cook for 1½ hrs. increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for a further 15-20 mins to crisp the skin. Remove the pork from the tin and allow to rest for 45 mins.
• To make the gravy, remove all the fat from the bottom of the roasting tin. Add the butter and heat to melt. Tip in the flour and cook for 1-2 mins, scraping the bottom of the pan. Gradually stir in 500ml stock and cook for 5 mins until thick.