Roast Pork Belly with Pears
January 5th, 2010
Our first seasonal recipe for January, with pork belly and pears. Serves 4 generously, 6 reasonably:
Ingredients
2-2.5 kg Pork Belly (skin scored)
3-4 pears
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
200ml pork/vegetable stock
Soy Sauce
Table salt and ground black pepper
Before roasting the pork, place on a rack in the sink and pour boiling water over the skin, this will help to form better crackling later on. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, and dry off the excess water.
Chop the garlic cloves finely, and then crush using the knife blade with a pinch of table salt. Mix with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, and rub into the meat of the pork belly, making sure none of the mixture ends up on the skin.
Rub 1 tsp of salt into the skin of the pork belly. Try to get the salt into the scores of the skin t0 get a better crackling.
Roast in an roasting tray for 1.5 hours (skin side up) at 200C | 400F. Add the halved pears and cook for another 15-18 minutes. Increase the temperature to 240C | 475F for another 25 minutes, or until the prok belly skin has turned golden and crisp. If the skin hasnt crisped, remove the pears and transfer the pork belly to a grill for 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the pork belly and pears to a serving dish and keep warm.
Remove the fat from the roasting tray, leaving the meat juices behind. Place onto hob on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Stir for 30 seconds to remove the sticky juices from the tray, then add the stock. Leave to reduce until preferred consistency is reached, then season to taste.
Serve and enjoy.
