Slow Cooked Pork Belly With Watermelon Salsa 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.

WATERMELON-INJECTED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH WATERMELON SALSA

Steps:

• For the salsa: Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and chill until ready to serve.
• For the tenderloin: Use a sharp knife to trim tenderloin of any fat by removing as much of the silver skin as possible.
• Combine watermelon and jalapenos in a blender and puree, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain mixture through fine sieve and return to blender. Add the salt, sugar and melon liqueur (if using) to blender and blend together, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of marinade for basting. Draw remaining marinade with syringe injector. Inject pork liberally with marinade. Sprinkle salt and pepper to cover pork. Let marinate while heating the grill.
• Remove pork from platter and place directly on the flame for direct heat. Roll the pork over the direct heat to give it grill marks. Remove pork from direct heat and place away from the flame to finish cooking. Baste with glaze every 10 to 15 minutes until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Remove from grill to platter and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice into medallions and serve with Watermelon Salsa.

SLOW COOKED PORK BELLY WITH WATERMELON SALSA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2. Season the pork belly all over with salt then put it, the peppercorns, thyme, bay and fennel seeds in a deep roasting tin. Pour over the cider, then top up with water until the pork is submerged. Cover with foil and cook for 6 hrs.
• Remove from the oven and leave the pork to cool until you can touch it easily, around 10 mins, then lift from the liquid and use cling film to roll the pork as tightly as you can, then leave to cool completely in the fridge overnight.
• Mix all the ingredients for the watermelon salsa together and season. Set aside.
• Slice the pork belly into eight 1-2cm rounds and place, flat-side down. in a lightly oiled frying pan, cook until golden, 1-2 mins, then turn over and repeat so both sides are nicely crisped, even in colour and the pork is hot throughout.
• To serve, spread 1 tbsp of bbq sauce over each flatbread, top with the crisped pork belly and finish with a spoonful of the salsa.

SLOW-COOKED SALSA

Steps:

• Core tomatoes. Cut a small slit in 2 tomatoes; insert a garlic clove into each slit. Place tomatoes and onion in a 3-qt. slow cooker., Cut stems off jalapenos; remove seeds if a milder salsa is desired. Place jalapenos in the slow cooker., Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until vegetables are softened (some may brown slightly); cool. , In a blender, combine the tomato mixture, cilantro and, if desired, salt; cover and process until blended. Refrigerate leftovers.