Slow-cooked pork belly with Asian flavours

Slow-cooking pork belly creates a super tasty treat – its high fat content makes it rich and incredibly succulent.

This dish can be cooked a day or two ahead: let the pork cool in the cooking liquid then remove to a flat plate or tray, cover and refrigerate. Slice the meat and let it come to room temperature before grilling.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1.25-1.5kg piece or pieces of pork belly (bones removed)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 medium cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 thumb ginger, peeled and finely sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 200ml orange juice
• ¼ cup brown sugar, plus 1-2 tablespoons extra for gravy 
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

Method:

1. Heat oven to 150°C. If the pork skin hasn't already been scored, do this with a very sharp knife, in lines about a finger-width apart. 
2. Heat peanut and sesame oils in a flameproof casserole large enough to hold the pork snugly. Sear pork on both sides, finishing with the pork skin side up.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl or large jug. Pour over and around pork. The liquid should come at least two-thirds of the way up the meat – if necessary add water.
4. Place a piece of baking paper inside casserole over pork and cover with casserole lid. Place in the oven and cook 3 hours until pork is very soft. (This dish can also be cooked on the stove top at a gentle simmer for 3 hours.)
5. Carefully remove pork from juices and allow to rest 15 minutes then pat skin dry with a paper towel. Place pork skin side up under a pre-heated grill until the skin starts to crackle. 
6. To reduce the cooking liquid for serving as a gravy, pour it through a sieve into a small saucepan, adding an extra 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook until reduced and thickened slightly. For a thicker sauce, add a little cornflour. 
7. Serve pork with the gravy and garnished with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves if desired.

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Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz. Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth.

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