How To Cook Joint Of Belly Pork

Preheat the oven to full whack 240 c 475 f gas 9.

How to cook joint of belly pork. Leave the pork uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. Place pork rind side up in centre of pan on top of onion and lemon. Place the roast on a wire rack inside a baking tray and cook at 240 c max 250 c.

Buy belly pork joint remember to remove your belly pork rolled joint out of the packaging pat dry and bring to room temperature pre heat your oven to 200 oc temperature fan assisted or 215 oc without a fan scald the pork rind by pouring over a full kettle onto the skin over a clean sink with the pork resting on a wire tray. This brief period of high heat will not cook the pork through nor should you cook the pork belly at this high heat for the entire time. Combine garlic thyme and 2 tsp oil in a small bowl then rub over meat.

Place the seasoned pork belly in the preheated oven. Arrange onion and lemon over base of shallow roasting pan lined with baking paper. Roast it for 20 to 30 minutes or until the skin browns and begins to look crispy.

Roast the belly in the oven for 30 minutes until the skin on top has crisped up then reduce the heat to 160ºc gas mark 3 and roast for another 2 hours 5 rest the pork belly for 20 minutes under a sheet of tin foil then carve. The intense heat is only meant to crisp the skin. This process helps the fat run out and skin to crisp.

The next day use a sharp knife to score the skin in 1cm intervals being careful not to go through to the meat. Mix together 1 tbsp of the sea salt the thyme leaves and black pepper and rub thoroughly onto the meat but not the skin. Rub the roast with the oil and salt more if you like salty crackling making sure the oil and salt penetrate the scores.

Lay the pork skin side up on a rack in a roasting tin. Put the pork belly in the fridge overnight leaving the skin exposed to dry. Score the pork belly using a very sharp knife.