Jamie Oliver Pork Belly Recipes

PORK BELLY ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to its highest temperature.
• Using a Stanley knife, score the skin down to the meat (try not to cut the meat), making the cuts very close together.
• Bash the fennel seeds and a good pinch of sea salt in a pestle and mortar to a powder.
• Tip the oil over the top of the scored skin, then sprinkle over the fennel mixture, and rub all over so that everything gets into the scores and down into the meat.
• Roughly chop the carrots and celery, then throw these into a roasting tray. Break the garlic bulb up into unpeeled cloves, peel and chop the onions into large wedges, then toss into the tray with the thyme sprigs.
• Put the seasoned pork belly on top of the vegetables in the tray, then roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the skin starts to bubble and turn golden brown.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C/325°F/gas 3, and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes. When the time's up, carefully open the oven door and pour in three-quarters of the wine. Cook for 1 further hour.
• Remove the meat carefully from the oven and test to see if it pulls apart easily. If not, cook for a little longer. Allow the meat to rest while you make the gravy.
• Put the tray of roasted vegetables directly onto your hob over a medium heat add, add the flour, then stir together until thick. Cook for 1 minute then add in the remaining wine - if you sauce is too thick add a splash more wine or water.
• Using a potato masher, mash up the vegetables until you have a delicious thick-looking sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat, season to taste, then strain through a sieve into a jug.
• Remove the crackling from the top of the belly and break up into pieces, pull the pork belly apart, and serve with the jug of gravy on the side, and a selection of seasonal vegetables.

PERFECT PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Leave the pork uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin.
• Preheat the oven to full whack (240°C/475°F/gas 9).
• Carefully score the pork skin with a sharp knife or scalpel.
• Place the bay leaves in a pestle and mortar with the sea salt and give it a good bashing. Add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns, then bash again until fine.
• Rub 2 tablespoons of the flavoured salt all over the pork, massaging it into all the nooks and crannies, saving the rest for another day. Brush away any excess.
• Clank up the onions into wedges and arrange them skin-side up in rows. Lay the pork directly over the onions, then roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crackling is golden and super crunchy.
• Meanwhile, prepare the veg. Scrub the carrots and potatoes, trim the celery and fennel, then clank up into 2½cm chunks and place on a large baking tray. Pick over the rosemary leaves, then break up the garlic bulb and scatter over the cloves, leaving the skin on. Season with salt and pepper, then give it a good mix.
• Remove the pork from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150°C/300°F/gas 2.
• Using tongs, carefully lift the pork off the onions and place it directly on the top bars of the oven. Position the tray of veg exactly underneath to catch the tasty juices. Cook the pork for a further 2 to 4 hours - after 2 hours, the meat will be soft and easy to carve, after 4 hours, the meat will be soft enough to 'pull'. Toss the veg occasionally, turning to coat in the pork juices until caramelised and cooked to your liking, then remove. (Pop an empty tray under the pork to prevent the juices from making a mess in your oven.)
• To make the gravy, carefully drain the fat from the onions and reserve for another day. Place the tray on the hob over a medium heat, then pour in the cider and let it bubble away for a few minutes, scraping up all the sticky goodness from the base of the tray.
• Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 1.5 litres of boiling water and stir on the heat for 15 minutes, or until thickened and reduced.
• When it's time to dish up, arrange the veg on a serving platter with the pork and strain the gravy into a jug. Carve or pull the pork and plate it up with a little bit of everything. Delicious served with a simple watercress and apple salad, and a dollop of English mustard.

PORK WITH PEACHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C/gas 7).
• Score the skin of the pork through the fat, the incisions should be about 1 centimeter apart. Turn over. Make a pocket for the stuffing by cutting an incision at an angle, about 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) deep in the center of the streaky part of the loin, working away from the eye meat. Starting slightly in from the side of the meat, slowly slice along the loin not quite to the end, this will ensure your stuffing won't fall out.
• Chop half the thyme with 1 clove of garlic and scrunch together with the butter, 1 tin of peaches, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Push the butter into the pocket and pat back into shape. Lay the pancetta, bacon or Parma ham over the pork, leaving the skin side uncovered, and tie up firmly with 3 to 4 pieces of string.
• Place skin-side up in a roasting tray with the remaining peaches, the garlic cloves, thyme, and half of the white wine. Roast for around 1 hour until the skin is crisp and golden.
• When ready, remove the pork and peaches to a plate and leave to rest for 15 minutes whilst you finish the sauce. To do this, remove most of the fat from the roasting tray, then place the tray over a high heat. Squash the cooked garlic and add 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir and add the rest of the wine with a glass of water or stock. Simmer and leave to reduce for a few minutes. Strain and add any extra juices from the rested pork. Check the seasoning and consistency and serve drizzled over the sliced pork.

POT-ROASTED PORK IN WHITE WINE WITH GARLIC, FENNEL, AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• With 2 or 3 bits of string, tie up your pork loin, do this any way you like. It doesn't have to be fussy, you just want to keep the meat in a snug shape while it's cooking. Season generously with salt and pepper, then roll the meat in the fennel seeds until covered.
• In a casserole pan or roasting tray, fry the meat for a couple of minutes in half the butter and a little olive oil, until nice and golden.
• Throw in the garlic, herbs, fennel, and wine, then cover the tray loosely with some wet greaseproof paper and cook until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 150 degrees F. As the pork loin is off the bone it cooks very quickly. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest on a plate. Then, without using any more heat, finish off your sauce in the pan, scraping any goodness off the bottom and adding the rest of the butter. Remove any large bits.