Roast crispy belly pork

Now I do not know about you but I like a nice bit of crispy belly pork and this is my way of doing that. I know that a lot of people do not like pork for what every reason, and like belly pork even less because of the fat, but that is the point. It is the fat that gives it the fantastic taste so please give this a go it is really good. Now I have used Chinese spices in this recipe but you could use any spices you like form just good old salt and cracked black pepper to Indian or Mexican.  

You will need

1.5 kg/3lb 5oz boneless pork belly, with rind

4tbsp coarse sea salt

2tbsp ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns

2tsp freshly ground white pepper

2tbsp five-spice powder

1tbsp caster sugar

Now the first process is a little difficult as it means you have to pour boiling water over the rind side of the pork but bear with me. It is this boiling water that will give the wonderfully crisp texture to the meat when you cook it.

Take the pork and pierce or slash the rind with a sharp knife. Then use a meat hook or a carving fork, or an old wire coat hanger if you have one make a hole in the meat so you can hold it by a something so you do not burn your fingers. Take your pork over to the sink, then take a large pan fill it with water and bring it to the boil, or put the kettle on. Now what you have to do is pour the boiling hot water over the rind side of the pork. You need to repeat this a number of times then set the pork to one side to cool.

Now in a heat a pan up so it is nice and hot then add the salt, peppers, five spice powder and sugar and just let them warm together for about 2 or 3 minutes.  Then take it off the heat and let it cool, this is a dry cure for the pork. Once it is cool enough to handle you then need to rub this into the flesh side of the pork. Now you need to just leave that in a fridge for about 8 hours. Place the pork on a rack so it does not sit in any liquid that might come out of it.

Once again you need to roast it on a rack as well so it is very dry and remains crisp , if you have a deep sided roasting tin with a rack in it all the better. To keep the pork from drying out fill the gap under the rack with some water.  Heat you oven to 200c/400f and place the pork in rind side up to start with. After about 20 to 30 minutes turn it over and roast for about another 2 hours turning the temperature down to 180c/350f. the finally turn it back to rind side up for the last 15 minutes and turn the oven right up to 230c/450f to get that final crisp finish. Once cooked take out from the oven and just let it cool before you serve.