Pork Confit Recipes

CONFIT PORK BELLY WITH CANNELLINI BEANS & ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Score the skin of the pork with a knife, then put in a shallow dish and rub all over with the sea salt, half the rosemary and all the garlic. Cover the dish with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 7 hrs, preferably overnight. While the pork is being salted, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Wash the pork well and pat dry. Heat the duck fat and half the vegetable oil in a deep, flameproof casserole dish or roasting tin until the fat has melted, then carefully lower in the pork. Cover with foil and put in the oven. Cook for about 4 hrs or until the pork is very tender.
• Leave the pork to cool slightly, then remove from the fat and cool completely. Alternatively, the pork can be kept in the fat in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 months. The fat itself can be reused.
• Remove the bones and any sinew or membrane from the pork.
• Press the pork between two roasting trays with heavy weights on top (such as cans). This process will shape and compact the meat so that it's easier to portion. Leave the meat to press in the fridge for at least 2 hrs. You can leave the pork to press overnight (the beans will be fine left soaking in water for up to 48 hrs, but change the water after 24 hrs).
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Drain the beans and tip into a large pan. Cover with about 5cm of fresh water. Bring to the boil, then cook over a medium heat for 40 mins until tender. Add the butter and the remaining rosemary to the beans, and cook for 5 mins until the beans and buttery water have emulsified. Season well and keep warm.
• Take the pork out of the fridge and cut into four equal pieces. Put a large, ovenproof non-stick sauté pan in the oven with the remaining oil and heat until almost smoking.
• Place the pork, skin-side down, in the hot vegetable oil (be careful as the oil will spit). Return the pork to the oven for 12 mins until heated through and the skin is crisp and golden.
• Divide the beans between four serving plates and top each with a piece of crispy pork. Serve with a crisp green salad.

PORK CONFIT

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Add pork; turn and rub to coat well. Cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 275°F. Place onions, garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig in large ovenproof pot. Pat pork dry with paper towels and place atop vegetables in pot. Pour enough melted lard over pork to cover by 1 inch. Cover and place pork in oven. Roast until pork is tender, turning occasionally (keep pork covered with lard at all times), about 4 hours.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to another large bowl, packing tightly. Strain liquid in pot into 4-cup measuring cup; discard solids in strainer. Allow juices to settle at bottom of cup, about 15 minutes. Carefully pour enough fat from cup over pork in bowl to cover by 1 inch. Pour juices from bottom of cup into resealable plastic freezer bag; seal and freeze to use for making thePork Cassoulet (it's also great as a sauce). Cover and refrigerate pork at least 2 weeks and up to 2 months (keep pork covered with fat).
• Rewarm pork confit to melt lard. Drain pork before using.
• *A dried herb mixture available in the spice section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. A combination of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.

PORK CHOPS WITH RED ONION CONFIT

Steps:

• Slice the onion very thinly. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add the vinegar and reduce until the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
• Sprinkle the pork chops with salt, pepper and sugar. Fry until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. (If they are lacking in fat, you may need to add a little oil or butter, or both, to the pan to fry them.) Serve with a spoonful of red onion confit on top.

PORK CONFIT

Steps:

• 1. Place each tenderloin on a length of plastic wrap. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, pressing the garlic into the surface of the meat. Place a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf on top. Wrap up and refigerate 24 hours. 2. Melt the lard in a large saute pan over medium heat. When very hot, add the pork. Reduce heat, cover and gently simmer for 30-40 minutes. Check regularly; it should remain soft and white while cooking. If it begins to brown, reduce heat. 3. Transfer the tenderloins to a storage container and pour in enough fat to completely cover. Let cool, then cover and refigerate at least 24 hours or up to 1 week. 4. Bring the tenderloins to room temperature. Preheat oven to 450o. Remove them from the container and scrape off any fat. Cut off any string. Place in baking dish and roast 10 minutes. Carve into 1/2 inch slices and garnish with parsley.

GARLIC CONFIT

Steps:

• Cut the tops off the garlic bulbs, place on a clean working surface, and press down firmly with the flat part of a large knife to separate the cloves from the bulb. Remove the skins and discard.
• Pour oil into a very small pot; add garlic cloves and thyme.
• Turn heat to medium and cook until bubbles start to form. Lower the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook until garlic is soft but not brown, 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the cloves.
• Place garlic cloves and oil in an ice cube tray and freeze until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Remove frozen cubes from the tray and store in a freezer bag.