Pork Belly Roast

This particular piece of pork meat has a lovely thick layer of fat which keeps the meat really moist as it roasts and delivers an incredible even layer of delicious pork crackling. Belly has been a much underrated meat cut although it has surfaced as a part of many cooks repertoire. This is a soft tender pork roast with crisp crackling good enough to eat as is, however serve it with sweet mash and vegetables for additional delight.

Ingredients

1 kg pork belly

Salt
Oil, butter or lard
Fresh rosemary

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Take the pork out of the fridge and rub oil, butter or lard over the scored skin. Rub salt and pepper all over the top and sprinkle the rosemary leaves on top. Place the meat in a roasting tray and cook in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 170ºC and cook the roast for a further 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow resting for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Note: You can grind salt, pepper and rosemary leaves with a mortar and pestle before rubbing it on the skin. Substitute rosemary with your favourite dried or fresh herbs such as bay leafs and tarragon.