This recipe is slightly adapted, at least the cooking technique, from Jamie Oliver’s Pork Belly Roast recipe, although I wanted it to have a more savory herbed marinade then the sweet fennel encrusted he suggested. Low and slow is always the way for a pork roast and after sitting in the marinade for 12, preferably 24 hours, I was excited to try this one out and get my pork belly roasting.
The aroma in the house was amazing, no doubt the neighborhood took notice with envy. The roasting pork belly is like a beautiful chunky piece of bacon on overload. It’s outside is crispy and golden, it’s nooks and crannies caramelized and the unctuous, delicious inside is beyond description. If you love bacon this is for you.
The technique for the gravy, the mashing of the roasted vegetables is great, but I cut down on the wine used and kept it chunky. My marinade of apple cider vinegar, lemon, garlic and the fresh rosemary and thyme made for a perfect combination and worth the effort.
Preheat oven to 525°.
Herbed Pork Belly Roast
Ingredients
- Marinade:
- 2 1/2 lb pork belly
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 ⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- Pork Belly Roast:
- 5 carrots
- 5 ribs of celery
- 2 large onions
- 20 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 fresh thyme bundles
- reserved above marinade
- white wine
- 3 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Make a crosshatch score on the skin down to the meat trying not to cut the meat, making the cuts close together. Rub the kosher salt and pepper in the cut skin, massaging well to get in the nooks and crannies.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a blender to emulsify and poor over the pork belly and marinate 12 hours or more in a sealable container or Zip Lock bag in the refrigerator. Take out 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 525°.
- Wash, peel and cut the carrots, onions and celery into large 2 inch pieces and place in a roasting pan. Peel the skin off the whole garlic cloves, mix with the vegetables and olive oil.
- Wrap and tie the whole thyme bundles, place on top of the vegetables and garlic. Place the marinated pork belly, scored side up, on top and cook for 15 minutes until skin is bubbling and starts turning a golden color.
- Drop oven temperature to 325° and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Add the reserved marinade and enough white wine to make 3 cups of liquid. Cook for another hour, or until the pork belly is fork tender and can easily tear apart.
- Remove pork belly and keep warm. Place entire roasting pan on the stove top over medium heat. Toss the flour over the vegetables and mash to create a thick gravy. Thin with chicken stock if needed and pour over pork belly roast.
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