Want to Make the Best Crispy-Skinned, Juicy-Fleshed Pork Belly?
Pork Belly is one of the cheapest and most delicious cuts of meat available and with these instructions, there is no need to worry about getting the cooking right. This recipe for Pork Belly with Spiced Apple Whiskey Sauce will produce a perfectly cooked cut of pork with a mouth-watering spiced apple and whiskey side sauce, and with very little preparation time.
What is Special About Pork Belly?
Pork belly is famous for its fat content, which produces a rich, succulent flavour. It’s a very cheap cut of meat and can be prepared with a choice of international ingredients and a variety of sauces and marinades. It’s also an excellent BBQ meat.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Pork Belly?
Pork belly requires slow cooking in the oven which allows the fat to render and saturate into the meat. This is what makes the flesh so moist and tender. When undercooked, the fat will remain jelly-like and be chewy and unpleasant to consume. For best results, allow pork belly to roast low and slow for at least 2½–3 hours, and then finish at a high temperature at the end to crisp the skin. This ensures the interior stays soft, juicy, and succulent while the exterior becomes perfectly crackled.
How Do You Make Pork Belly Skin Crispy?
There are various methods to get the perfect crispy crackling, but using a salt brine and letting the pork rest to soak it in provides the easiest and most consistent results. Make a mixture of 60% salt to 40% water, stir until the salt has dissolved, and brush it over the scored pork skin. Let the meat sit for a minimum of 30 minutes, or for best results, overnight (leaving it overnight will also benefit the marinade). The key is to ensure the skin is as dry as possible before placing it in the oven.
Spiced Apple Whiskey Sauce
Another method to keep pork belly flesh moist is by filling the tray with water or beer so it surrounds the meat and bastes it whilst it cooks. This is where the opportunity arises to add spices, onions, garlic, and sliced onions. Once the meat is cooked and the crackling is crisp, the remaining pan juices can be turned into a delicious gravy.
The Best Way to Cook Pork Belly
Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the pork belly. Rub the flesh (excluding the skin) with the mustard marinade. Baste the skin generously with the salt brine. Place in a tray with sliced onions, garlic, and spices, then carefully fill with a mixture of light chicken stock and beer. The stock–beer mixture should rise and surround the flesh but stop before touching the skin.
How Long Do You Cook Pork Belly Per Kilo?
On average, 30 minutes per 500g at 180°C in a fan-forced oven is a winning formula. Some recipes suggest increasing the heat before or at the end of cooking to crisp up the skin, however when the skin is scored correctly and the salt brine has had time to dry out, there should be no need to raise or lower the temperature.
How to Keep Pork Belly Juicy
All meat should be left to rest before serving. This allows it to finish cooking and for the natural juices to flow again through the meat, returning it to a succulent state. The air will also aid in drying out and crisping up the skin so it’s perfectly crunchy.
Recipe: Pork Belly with Spiced Apple Whiskey Sauce
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Pork Belly with Spiced Apple Whiskey Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork belly
- 2 large onions sliced thick
- 8 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed (see notes)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 star anise
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can beer
- 200 – 250ml chicken stock
- Salt brine: ½ tbsp salt 2 tsp water
For the Apple Whiskey Gravy
- 500 g cooking apples peeled and cut into chunks
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 small green chilli minced
- 1-2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 30 ml whiskey
Instructions
- Score skin of pork belly with a knife. Baste all over with salt brine, getting in-between the cracks of the scored skin.
- Rub the flesh of the pork with mustard and season generously with salt. Let the pork sit for a minimum of 30 minutes or marinade overnight for best results.
- Heat oven to 220°C (fan-forced).
- Add onions and garlic to a roasting tin along with some olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Place over the oven hob and sautee a few minutes until soft.
- Crush cardamon pods with a knife and add to the the roasting tin along with fennel seeds, star anise, coriander seeds, and aby leaves. Stir around the pan for about 1 minutes or until fragrant.
- Place pork belly on top of onion mixture and carefully pour beer and stock around the pork (but not over the skin) so that it reaches up to the side of the pork flesh, just under the fat and skin. This will keep the flesh soft and juicy whilst roasting and allow the skin to crisp up.
- Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180°C and roast for a further 2 hours.
- Apple Sauce: combine all ingredients in a saucepan with a splash of water. Cook over a medium heat for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have broken down and are soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Remove Pork belly from oven and transfer pork to a plate or tray to rest.
- Combine roasting pan juices with apples and whiskey and blend until smooth.
- After resting time, if the pork skin still hasn’t fully crackled, place the pork belly under the oven grill for a few minutes to finish crisping it up.
- Serve pork belly with apple sauce and a side of coleslaw
Notes
- Place a single peeled clove on your chopping board. Take your knife and place the blade flat on the clove so the sharp side of the knife is facing away from you.
- Use the heel of your hand to firmly and quickly press the blade down on the clove. The cloves will still be intact but will have opened up with splits in the sides to allow flavour to escape. Repeat the process to the remaining cloves.