Fresh Pork Belly, Skin On

Description

This is the same belly we use for our bacon, sold before it goes anywhere near the cure room. Skin on, ribs out, squared so it roasts flat and evenly. Berkshire cross hogs from Lockhart, broken down whole here. Fat to meat runs about even through the middle of the belly, which is what you want for crackling and for a long slow braise alike.

For crackling, score the skin in lines a finger apart without cutting into the fat, rub salt into the cuts and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry the surface. Roast at 300F for two and a half hours, then blast it at 475F for fifteen to twenty minutes at the end and watch it, the skin turns fast. For braising, skip the scoring and cook it in stock at 300F until a knife goes through with no resistance.

Specification

• Breed: Berkshire cross, Lockhart, Central Texas
• Cure: none, sold fresh
• Trim: skin on, ribs removed, squared flat
• Thickness: approximately 1.5 in through the centre
• Sold by: the pound, single flat piece

Cooking

Slow roast at 300F to an internal 190F for the fat to render properly, then finish hot for the skin. Braised belly wants the same 190F, just wet.

Storage

Three days in the fridge, uncovered on a rack if you plan to roast it, dry skin is the whole trick. Freezes three months, though the skin will not crackle as well after freezing.