Braising is the perfect way to utilize pork belly to its full potential. Don’t be deterred by the lengthy cooking time, it is almost entirely hands off. Simply lay your pork belly on a bed of aromatic vegetables and herbs and let it cook for the better part of a day while it fills your whole space with a heavenly aroma.
Once you’ve let it rest overnight, it can be sliced up and used in all sorts of delicious ways, including this fantastic taco recipe from Landrace’s Chef Steve McHugh.
Braised Pork Belly
Low and slow is the way to go.
Steve McHugh
- 2-3 pounds pork belly
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled & roughly chopped
- 2 leeks, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic bulb, cut in half
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 pinch whole black peppercorns
- 1 quart white wine
- 1/2 gallon of water
Preheat your oven to 225F. Place vegetables and herbs in Dutch Oven and place pork belly on top. The vegetables will help shield the pork belly from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the liquids to the pot and cover with lid. Put the Dutch Oven in the oven and let cook for 16 hours.
Remove from the oven and let the pork cool in the juices, or cuisson.
Remove pork belly from the pot at room temp. Strain out the vegetables and herbs but keep the cuisson liquid. Press the pork belly overnight.
