Crispy Pork Belly

Crispy pork belly, with an Italian-style seasoning.

Ingredients

• Pork belly joint with skin on

• Garlic powder

• Onion powder

• Fresh or dried rosemary

• Oregano

• Dried basil

• Chilli flakes

• MSG

• White vinegar

• Vegetable oil

• Mayonaise

• Mustard

• Salt and pepper

• Optional cheese and sandwich fillings

Directions

1. The day before cooking, place the pork belly joint skin-side up on a wire rack in the fridge uncovered.

2. Mix together garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, oregano, basil, chilli flakes, MSG, salt and pepper to form a rub.

3. On day of cooking, score the meat side of the pork belly in a grid pattern. Generously season the meat side with the rub, making sure to get between the cuts that were made.

4. Pre-heat oven to about 120C. Create a foil wrapper for the pork belly, exposing the skin to the top. Place the whole thing on a baking tray.

5. Brush a thin film of vinegar to the skin and season with salt. Place in the oven for about 2 hours - until the skin is dried out but not fully cooked and still a bit squishy.

6. Once dried out, brush the skin with vegetable oil and turn oven up to max temperature. To ensure the skin crisps evenly, you can place balls of foil under the lowest parts of the joint to raise it up and make it level. Keep it all still in the foil wrapper that you made.

7. Once the skin is deeply browned and crispy, it can be removed from the oven.

8. Pour out the juice from the foil wrapper into a bowl and mix with mayo and mustard to make an emulsified sauce.

9. Optionally, you can make a sandwich out of the belly with focacia. Optionally toast the focacia, spread with butter and the sauce, then add cut strips of pork belly, slices of cheese, rocket and olive oil. Wrap in foil and place back in oven to melt the cheese.