Roast Pork Belly with Crackling and Gravy by Gwen LA
Thank you, Gwen LA for this amazing recipe!
Serves 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Plus 30 minutes for resting pork
Cook time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
- 3-lb piece heritage skin-on pork belly (about 2 ½ inches thick, skin scored)
- 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock, hot
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Procedure:
Position a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 300ºF
Rub 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt into scored skin and fat of pork. Season rest of pork meat with more salt. In a square baking dish just large enough to hold pork, place carrots, celery, and onion pieces in a mound roughly the same size as pork. Pour stock around vegetables and place pork skin side up atop vegetables (pork should not be submerged in liquid). Roast for about 3 ½ hours, or until fork-tender. Set pork aside for 20 minutes and increase oven temperature to 475ºF.
Strain cooking liquid into a small liquid measuring cup, discarding vegetables. Skim off as much fat as possible from cooking liquid, reserving 1 tbsp of skimmed fat.
Return pork, skin side up, to an empty baking dish and roast for about 30 minutes, or until skin is crackling and crisp. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
In a small heavy saucepan, heat reserved fat over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Continue whisking for about 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup of reserved strained cooking liquid. Simmer, whisking for about 2 minutes, or until the gravy thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a serrated knife, slice pork crackling and meat across grain. Serve with gravy.