Pork belly is a classic Sunday roast – tender, tasty and rich. Our pasture reared pork belly has thick skin and a generous fat covering for perfect crackling. Roast gently for a long time and the meat remains moist with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Try this delicious version with a chilli and thyme marinade.
- 1kg boneless pork belly (skin on)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 tbs thyme leaves
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 onions, skins on, sliced thickly
Place pork belly, skin-side down, on a large board. Put garlic, ground cloves, caraway seeds, chilli, thyme and some sea salt in a mortar and pestle and crush to a paste. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice. Rub the marinade over the pork belly flesh.
Turn pork belly skin-side up, and dry the skin thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, score the pork belly skin and fat in a criss-cross pattern, without cutting into the meat. Generously sprinkle with fine sea salt (about 1 tablespoon) all over the scored skin. Leave for half an hour, then dust off excess salt.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C.
Arrange the onion slices in a roasting pan and sit the pork on top, skin side up.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 170°C, then roast for a further 2 hours or until the pork is tender and cooked through, and the skin is crisp.
Rest the pork belly, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then cut into slices and serve with mashed potato, apple sauce and seasonal greens.
