Crispy Roast Pork Belly With Egg Fried Rice Recipes

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.

CRISPY ROAST PORK BELLY WITH EGG FRIED RICE

Steps:

• For the pork, pierce the rind side of pork with a sharp fork or knife until the skin is covered with fine holes. Insert a meat hook into the meat to secure it.
• Bring a large pan of water to a boil and, using a large ladle, pour the hot water over the rind side of the pork several times. This is best done suspending the pork above the sink. Set the pork belly aside.
• Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the salt, both peppers, five spice powder and sugar and stir-fry the mixture for three minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• When the mixture is cool enough to handle, rub it into the flesh side of the pork. Hang the meat to dry for eight hours or overnight in a cool place or in front of a fan. Alternatively, place the meat on a wire rack set above a roasting tin.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the pork on a wire rack, rind side up, over a deep roasting pan filled about one third with water and roast for 20 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and continue to roast for two hours. Turn the oven back up to 230C/450F/Gas 8 and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and allow the pork to cool.
• For the fried rice, mix the eggs, sesame oil and a pinch of the salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until it is hot. Add the groundnut or vegetable oil and when it is very hot and slightly smoking add the cooked rice and stir-fry for three minutes or until it is thoroughly warmed through.
• Drizzle the egg mixture over the rice and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until eggs have set and the mixture is dried. Add the remaining salt and pepper, continue to stir-fry for two minutes then toss in the spring onions. Stir several times and turn onto a serving dish. Carve the pork into bite-size pieces, arrange on a platter and serve immediately with the rice alongside.