With Winter well on its way, you need to have a seasonal favourite recipe, cooked to perfection and something you can whip up with almost your eyes closed.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
- Dargle Valley Pork Belly
- Salt
- Chicken Stock (2 cups)
- Carrots (large)
- Onions (1-2)
- Garlic
Forget the WOW factor - the Pork Belly needs the crunch factor!
PREP your belly the night before:
Cover the Pork Belly skin in salt and place it in the fridge to help remove any excess water.
TO DO:
The next day, bring the Pork Belly to room temperature (this can take a few hours depending on the size of your roast) and wipe the skin dry.
Turn the oven on to around 230 degrees celsius.
Place the pork (uncovered) on a roasting tray.
Place it in the oven for 30 minutes (but keep an eye on it as ovens may vary).
You should be looking out for skin that has crisped up and crackled beautifully.
Turn the oven down to 130 degrees celsius.
Thickly slice up an onion (or two), and a large carrot, and place them in the roasting tray along with a few cloves of garlic and roughly 2 cups of chicken stock.
Make sure that the stock covers the pork meat but DO NOT let it touch the crispy skin.
Cook for 3 hours at 130 degrees celsius for perfectly tender Pork Belly with crispy crackling.
Once you have removed the pork from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes.
TIP: while you wait for the meat to rest, thicken up the remaining stock and make a delicious gravy.
SIDE SERVING SUGGESTION: Potatoes (roasted or mashed), lightly steamed (or grilled) broccolini, roasted butternut or any other veggies that you love. Let’s be honest, the Pork Belly is the main event and the crispy crackling is the star of the show.
Got any family secret recipes you care to share? Send us an email info@darglevalley.co.za - we would love to feature your meat tips, tricks and cooking techniques.