Crispy pork belly

Dry it well, start it hot, slow it down for the middle, and finish it hot again.

Serves

4 people

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

2 hours 10 minutes

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Start with one 1 kg pork belly. That feeds four with sides.

Dryness makes crackling. If your belly has the rind on, unwrap it the day before. Pat it dry and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. Any moisture left on the rind stops it crisping.

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork belly
• 2 tsp salt flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice, optional
• Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 240°C. Pat the belly completely dry with paper towel, top and bottom.
2. If your belly has the rind on and it is not scored, score it in lines 1 cm apart. Cut through the rind and fat but not into the meat. Rub half the salt into the rind.
3. Rub the oil, the rest of the salt, the pepper and the five spice into the meat side. Set the belly meat side down on a rack in a roasting tray.
4. Roast for 30 minutes.
5. Turn the oven down to 160°C. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, until a knife slides into the meat with no resistance.
6. Turn the oven back up to 240°C for the last 10 minutes. This crisps the rind if your belly has one and browns the fat if it does not.
7. Rest the belly for 10 minutes. Turn it over and cut it into thick pieces with a heavy knife.

Serve it

Serve with steamed rice and Asian greens, or with roast potatoes and apple sauce.