from my book (in development) “Why is the fat man, hungry”
Salt crusted pork belly
Servings 10 servings
Calories 518kcal
Cost $20
Equipment
- Oven
- Oven tray with rack
- Aluminium foil
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork belly Try to get one that has even depth, not thicker at one end.
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1 cup salt
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C
- Spread aluminium over the bottom of the oven tray, and pour the water in the base and lay the rack over the top.
- Wash the pork then dry it completely with paper towels
- Make 6 slits in the side of the pork below the layer of fat just under the skin, and slide in the cloves of garlic all the way
- Rub the flesh side of the pork with Chinese 5 spice
- Place the pork on the rack, skin side up, and pour on the salt.
- Spread the salt evenly across the skin with the back of a spoon
- Cook for 1 hour. If the pan goes dry add a little extra water to it. It's there to keep the meat moist. The salt is there to keep the skin dry.
- The pork will shrink a little, and the salt layer will come away from the skin a little
- Remove the salt and put the tray back in the oven at 465F/240C for 40 mins to crisp up the skin into crackling.
- Take the pork out and leave it on the rack to rest for 10 mins before cutting
- Put the pork on a board skin side down and cut with a cleaver into 1" cubes
