Perfect Roast Pork Belly With Cabbage And Bacon Food

SLOW-ROASTED CRISPY PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Dry skin overnight: Place pork belly on a plate. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out the skin. (If you don't have time, pat the skin dry as best you can).
• Preheat oven to 140°C/285°F (120°C fan).
• Season flesh: Drizzle flesh (only) with 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle over 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper and fennel powder. Rub all over the flesh, including on the sides, being sure you get right into all the cracks and crevices.
• Wrap in foil: Place 2 pieces of foil on a work surface. Put the belly in middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, forming an open box, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible. Place meat on a tray.
• Season skin: Pat skin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp salt evenly all over the skin surface, from edge to edge.
• Slow roast 2 1/2 hours: Place in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, remove and tighten the foil (pork will have shrunk), and continue cooking. This keeps the pork fat level up as high as possible, and the flesh protected so it stays moist.
• Increase heat: Remove pork from oven, then increase heat to 240°C/465°F (all oven types).
• Level pork: Remove pork from foil and place on a rack set over a tray (using rack is best, but optional). Use scrunched up balls of foil stuffed under pork to prop up so the skin surface is as level and horizontal as possible (see photos in post).
• 30 minutes on high heat! Place the pork back in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes as needed, until the crackling is deep golden, puffy and crispy all over. If some patches are browning faster, protect with foil patches.
• Rest 10 minutes: Remove pork from oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Serving: Slice into 2cm / ⅘"-thick slices using a serrated knife. Pictured in post with Apple Sauce and Vermouth Jus, with a side of Cauliflower Puree (Note 2)! See directions in post for how to plate it up as pictured (fine dining style!), as well as a list of more sauce options.

BRAISED CABBAGE WITH PORK

Steps:

• Finely slice the onion and put it and the dripping in a heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish. Fry the onion over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 mins.
• Cut the core from the cabbage and finely slice the leaves. Add this to the dish and toss everything together, cooking over a low heat while you peel and slice the apple.
• Crush the juniper and caraway seeds together and add these and the apple slices to the pan. Season and pour in the cider. Stir well and bring to a simmer, cover the dish and cook for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Season the chops on both sides. Heat a heavy-based frying pan on a medium-high heat with the oil and brown the chops on both sides. Remove from the pan and place in the casserole dish on top of the cabbage, adding the stock cube, crumbling it over. Put the lid back on and cook in the oven for a further 30 mins. If there is a lot of liquid in the dish, place on the hob and simmer until it evaporates a little. Check the seasoning and serve with mashed potato.