Crispy Pork Belly
A Message from the Chef:
Bake & Fry. This dish, done right, puts the "s" in slow. It asks something of a person besides appetite-it asks patience. Six hours and gentle at a low 200 degrees, letting time do what hurry never could. Then comes the waiting still... chilled overnight so the flavors settle in together like old friends on a porch swing before finally being fried up crisp to finish this incredible delight.
But truth is, country folks knew long ago that a little fat was never the enemy. Fat carries flavor the way memory carries meaning. And when that pork is raised right-honestly, patiently, close to the ground and under God's good sky-it becomes something more than fashionable. It becomes a reminder that the finest things in life still cannot be rushed.~The Picklin Parson
How to Make It:
1/2 pound whole pork belly, skin removed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
How to Make It:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
Season pork belly all over with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Wrap pork in parchment paper; wrap a second time in aluminum foil, and a third time in another sheet of aluminum foil. Place pork packet in a baking dish.
Roast in the preheated oven until tender for 6 hours. Let cool in wrappings to room temperature; place cooled packet in refrigerator and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
Unwrap chilled meat. Save any rendered fat that falls away when unwrapping pork.
Cut meat into 6 equal-size portions. Cut 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch slashes in the fat side of the pork. Season with salt.
Heat 2 tablespoons reserved pork fat in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork belly, down.
In hot fat; cook until well-browned on all sides and heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer pork belly to a plate, drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper.
How To Use It:
Pairs well with the Sweet Honey Onion Chutney, Ginger Tomato Chutney, or Salty Dog Dill Pickles
