James Martin Pork Belly Slices Food

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.

BBQ PORK BELLY STRIPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °c).
• Whisk together the olive oil, salt and pepper, then brush the mixture onto both sides of the pork belly strips.
• Place pork belly strips on a baking tray and bake them for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Baste the strips BBQ sauce. Then turn them over and baste the other side.
• Return to the oven another 10-15 minutes. When they are golden and bubbly and fat has become translucent, they are ready to remove from the oven. They may need more or less time depending on the thickness of the strips.
• Remove from the oven and serve with rice or your favorite side dish.

JAMES MARTIN'S PORK LOIN WITH MUSHROOM, BRANDY SAUCE AND FRIES

Steps:

• Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add one tablespoon of the olive oil and half the butter. Season the pork slices and fry on each side for three minutes or until browned, then put it on a baking tray and keep warm in a low oven.
• Place the pan back on the hob over a high heat, adding a little more oil, if necessary, and the remaining butter, and tip in shallots, onions and pancetta. Fry for one to two minutes or until the onions are softened and the pancetta is crispy, then add the mushrooms and cook for a further minute.
• Pour in the brandy and carefully set alight, allowing the alcohol to flambé until the flame goes out. Pour in the stock and simmer for one to two minutes, then stir in the cream and mustard, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• If using a deep-fat fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 190°C. Alternatively, fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan to one-third with oil and use a sugar thermometer to check the temperature. (Take great care if using a saucepan: always watch over it and never fill it more than a third as the hot fat may bubble up when the potatoes are added.)
• Fry the potatoes in the hot oil for three to four minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat the sauce gently, stirring in the parsley, then divide the pork slices between plates, pour over the sauce and serve with the straw fries on the side.Recipe, James Martin for the Mushroom Bureau

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).

HOW TO COOK PORK BELLY SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with baking paper or aluminum foil.
• Rub the meat with all the spices.
• Bake 30 - 40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the meat and your oven) until crispy and golden brown, flipping halfway through. Check the internal temperature (74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Heat a large skillet. Don't add fat; the belly will render a lot of fat. Instead, place the seasoned slices in the pan.
• Cook, often flipping with tongs. If there is too much splatter, use a splatter screen. The pieces should be golden brown and crispy on both sides. Cooking will take about 5-7 minutes per side. You can slice the meat thinner for a shorter cooking time. Check the internal temperature (74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Glaze: Should you want to glaze the meat, discard the rendered fat first, or the dish will be too fatty. Add the sauce during the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time. Lower the temperature and flip the slices frequently to coat them all over.
• Preheat the air fryer if necessary; mine needs 3 minutes preheating.
• Place the seasoned pork in the basket in a single layer.
• Cook at 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes, flipping twice in between. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the slices. Check the internal temperature (74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Glaze the pieces (if desired) with your favorite BBQ or Asian sweet chili sauce before serving.
• Slice: When grilling pork belly slices, I prefer to use thinner slices, about ¼ - ½ inch/ 6-12 mm thick.
• Rub the meat with the spices or your favorite dry rub at least 30 minutes before cooking. You can also marinate the meat in your favorite marinade for at least 3 and up to 12 hours. When grilling, let any excess marinade drip off.
• Heat the grill. Grill the meat until slightly charred but not burnt, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Check the internal temperature (74 degrees Celsius/ 165 degrees Fahrenheit) or cut one piece in the middle to see if it's cooked through.
• Grill pan: You can cook the sliced pork belly in the grill pan the same way. It might need a few minutes longer but check.

PORK BELLY WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Score the fat on the belly and season both sides with salt and pepper. Make a bed in a roasting pan with the carrots and onions. Lay the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Pour over the cider and a cup of water. Cook 30 minutes to get the fat running. Stir together the honey and Dijon with a spoonful of water. Brush the mustard mixture onto the fat, and lower the heat to 325 degrees F. Continue cooking, basting occasionally with the honey, for 3 hours.
• An hour before the belly is done, start the lentils. Rinse the lentils in cold water, drain, and put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water, the shallot, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently until tender, 30 to 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure no more water is needed. Drain the lentils, and season with salt, and pepper. Set aside to reheat later.
• Remove the belly from the oven when it's done, and transfer to a baking sheet. Return it to the oven at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes to crispen the skin.
• Meanwhile, drain the juices from the roasting pan into a measuring cup, reserving the vegetables and keeping them warm. Pour the fat off the juices, using some to moisten the lentils and saving the rest for another use. Deglaze the roasting pan with the vinegar and reduce to a glaze, then add the cooking juices and cook down for a minute or two. Reheat the lentils gently.
• Slice the belly and serve with the vegetables, and with the pork-fat moistened lentils.

GORDON RAMSAY'S SLOW ROASTED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
• Score the pork belly skin diagonally in a diamond pattern at 1½ cm intervals. Season generously with salt and pepper, rubbing it well into the skin.
• Put the fennel, bay leaves, garlic, cardamom, star anise and half the fennel seeds into a hot roasting tray on the hob with a little oil and heat for about 2 minutes until aromatic. Push to the side of the tray, then add the pork, skin side down, and cook for at least 5 minutes until turning golden brown. Turn the pork over, season the skin again with salt and sprinkle with the remaining fennel seeds. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits from the bottom (be careful not to get the skin of the pork wet). Bring to the boil, then pour in enough stock to come up to the layer of fat just below the skin and allow to boil again.
• Transfer the tray to the preheated oven and cook for 2½ hours.
• Transfer the meat to a warm plate and set aside to rest. Meanwhile, spoon off any excess fat in the roasting tray or drag a slice of bread along the surface of the cooking juices to absorb it. Heat the tray on the hob, adding the mustard. Mix in with a whisk, then taste and adjust the flavours as necessary. Remove the star anise and cardamom pods and pour the sauce into a jug. Serve the rested pork with the sauce alongside.