Roast Rolled Pork Belly With Salsa Verde 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.

SKILLET PORK CHOPS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• For the pork chops: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine the paprika, salt, sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Rub all over the surface of the chops and let the chops rest on a rack while you make the salsa verde.
• For the salsa verde: Combine the parsley, capers, lemon juice, zest, mustard, salt, cayenne, scallions and garlic in a blender. Pulse to make a coarse paste. With the blender running on high, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream to make a thick, smooth sauce. With the blender running on low, add up to 2 tablespoons water to thin the sauce so it has a drizzle consistency.
• For the pork chops: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then coat with some olive oil. Add the chops to the skillet and sear until the underside is well browned, about 4 minutes. If the sides of the chops have a thick layer of fat, turn them briefly on their sides to sear the fat, about 30 seconds. Flip the chops raw-side down and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chops are just cooked through and reach 140 to 145 degrees F in the center as measured on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with the salsa verde.

SLOW-ROAST ROLLED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Toast the spices in a dry frying pan for a couple of mins. Pound them together in a pestle and mortar with some flaked sea salt, the garlic and half the thyme to make a paste, then mix with 2 tbsp olive oil.
• Lay the pork on a board skin-side down. Rub the herb mix all over the flesh then scatter with the remaining whole thyme leaves. Neatly roll the meat into a joint surrounded by the skin then use butchers' string to tie the joint tightly at regular intervals to hold the joint together. Cover and chill, leaving to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, rub the skin of the joint with plenty of salt and 1 tbsp remaining olive oil. Put it on a wire rack and roast at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 mins. After this time, squeeze the lemons over the skin and turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roast for a further 2 hrs. Finally turn the heat back up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and give it a final blast for another 30 mins or so, to finish the crisping of the skin. Allow to rest somewhere warm for 20 mins. Carve up into thick slices and serve with your favourite roast dinner accompaniments.

ROAST PORK BUTT WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees. Season the pork with 3 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1/4 cup black pepper, rubbing it in well on all sides. Roast the pork, covered, until the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees, 9 to 10 hours. While the pork is roasting, prepare the salsa verde.
• In a blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary, combine the olive oil, 6 tablespoons of the vinegar, parsley, oregano, garlic and pepper flakes. Process to a purée, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Season with salt, ground black pepper and more vinegar to taste.
• To serve, pull the pork apart with tongs or forks or slice it. Serve with the salsa and a salad of bitter greens.