CRACKLING PORK BELLY RECIPES

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.

2. Using a Stanley knife, lightly score the skin of the pork belly by making even, shallow cuts in the skin 1cm apart. Rub the olive oil and then the salt into all sides of the pork belly.

3. Place the pork in a 30 x 40cm roasting tin, skin side up. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until crackling starts to form. Reduce the oven to 180C.

4. Remove the pork from the tin and set aside. Add the vegetables, herbs, garlic, wine, sherry vinegar and 375ml of water to the roasting tin and stir to combine.

5. Return the pork to the tin, sitting it on top of the vegetable mixture, skin side up. Cover with foil and cook for two hours until the meat is tender. Increase the heat to 220C, remove the foil from the meat and roast for 15-20 minutes to crisp the crackling. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

6. Carefully remove the bones and discard. Discard the vegetable base. Cut the pork belly into 2cm-thick slices with a sharp serrated knife and serve slices of pork and crackling on a warmed plate with rhubarb chutney.

TIPS:

- If you have leftover pork, it's great the next day, sliced thinly on a crusty white roll with cucumber pickles.

- Frank Camorra's Rhubarb chutney

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.

2. Using a Stanley knife, lightly score the skin of the pork belly by making even, shallow cuts in the skin 1cm apart. Rub the olive oil and then the salt into all sides of the pork belly.

3. Place the pork in a 30 x 40cm roasting tin, skin side up. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until crackling starts to form. Reduce the oven to 180C.

4. Remove the pork from the tin and set aside. Add the vegetables, herbs, garlic, wine, sherry vinegar and 375ml of water to the roasting tin and stir to combine.

5. Return the pork to the tin, sitting it on top of the vegetable mixture, skin side up. Cover with foil and cook for two hours until the meat is tender. Increase the heat to 220C, remove the foil from the meat and roast for 15-20 minutes to crisp the crackling. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

6. Carefully remove the bones and discard. Discard the vegetable base. Cut the pork belly into 2cm-thick slices with a sharp serrated knife and serve slices of pork and crackling on a warmed plate with rhubarb chutney.

TIPS:

- If you have leftover pork, it's great the next day, sliced thinly on a crusty white roll with cucumber pickles.

- Frank Camorra's Rhubarb chutney

1. Leave the pork uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin.
2. Preheat the oven to full whack (240°C/475°F/gas 9).
3. Carefully score the pork skin with a sharp knife or scalpel.
4. Place the bay leaves in a pestle and mortar with the sea salt and give it a good bashing. Add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns, then bash again until fine.
5. Rub 2 tablespoons of the flavoured salt all over the pork, massaging it into all the nooks and crannies, saving the rest for another day. Brush away any excess.
6. Clank up the onions into wedges and arrange them skin-side up in rows. Lay the pork directly over the onions, then roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crackling is golden and super crunchy.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the veg. Scrub the carrots and potatoes, trim the celery and fennel, then clank up into 2½cm chunks and place on a large baking tray. Pick over the rosemary leaves, then break up the garlic bulb and scatter over the cloves, leaving the skin on. Season with salt and pepper, then give it a good mix.
8. Remove the pork from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150°C/300°F/gas 2.
9. Using tongs, carefully lift the pork off the onions and place it directly on the top bars of the oven. Position the tray of veg exactly underneath to catch the tasty juices. Cook the pork for a further 2 to 4 hours – after 2 hours, the meat will be soft and easy to carve, after 4 hours, the meat will be soft enough to ‘pull’. Toss the veg occasionally, turning to coat in the pork juices until caramelised and cooked to your liking, then remove. (Pop an empty tray under the pork to prevent the juices from making a mess in your oven.)
10. To make the gravy, carefully drain the fat from the onions and reserve for another day. Place the tray on the hob over a medium heat, then pour in the cider and let it bubble away for a few minutes, scraping up all the sticky goodness from the base of the tray.
11. Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 1.5 litres of boiling water and stir on the heat for 15 minutes, or until thickened and reduced.
12. When it’s time to dish up, arrange the veg on a serving platter with the pork and strain the gravy into a jug. Carve or pull the pork and plate it up with a little bit of everything. Delicious served with a simple watercress and apple salad, and a dollop of English mustard.