Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- 2 1/2 lb. slab of pork belly
- Roasting pan
- Foil
- Heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pan
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced in chunks
- 1 onion, quartered
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh-cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- Prepared glaze, such as balsamic
Step1
Remove pork belly from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. This will take about an hour.
Step2
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step3
Place the pork belly fat side up and score it by making diagonal slices across the surface of the meat with a sharp knife.
Step4
Season the pork belly with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan fat side up.
Step5
Add 2 cups of chicken stock, carrots, celery and onions, and cover the pork belly with foil.
Step6
Reduce oven to 300 degrees, and cook pork belly for 2 1/2 hours.
Step7
Remove foil, and return pork belly to oven for 2 hours. Braise meat with stock periodically, and add additional stock as needed.
Step8
Remove pork belly from oven and allow to rest, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
Step9
Remove pork belly from the refrigerator, and cut into individual portions.
Step10
Drizzle a heavy-bottomed pan, such as a cast iron skillet, with olive oil and heat over moderately high heat. After patting pork belly dry, add to hot pan, searing for a minute or two on both sides. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Step11
Once it’s browned, place pork belly in roasting pan. Add additional stock, if necessary, to partially cover the meat. Cover with foil and roast pork belly in oven for 2 hours.
Step12
Remove foil and raise the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue cooking pork belly until it's tender on the inside, with a crisp, nicely browned exterior.
Novice 
