Bill’s Crispy Pork Belly with Caramel Vinegar

I love pork crackling and in this recipe by renowned Sydney chef Bill Grainger, it’s guaranteed to be a gorgeous golden colour and to crac (how often do you have disappointing results with crackle?). Make sure you ask the butcher to score the fat and rub it with the salt at least half an hour before roasting. I also like the way he has combined it with a simple, yet flavoursome, caramel vinegar sauce.  It’s a winner!

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

I love pork crackling and in this recipe by renowned Sydney chef Bill Grainger, it’s guaranteed to be a gorgeous golden colour and to crac (how often do you have disappointing results with crackle?). Make sure you ask the butcher to score the fat and rub it with the salt at least half an hour before roasting. I also like the way he has combined it with a simple, yet flavoursome, caramel vinegar sauce.  It’s a winner!

Ingredients

  • pork belly 1.5kg
  • sea salt 2 tablespoons
  • olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
Caramel Vinegar
  • dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (115g)
  • red wine vinegar 1/3 cup (80ml)
  • star anise 3
  • cinnamon stick 1
  • chicken stock 1 cup (250ml)
  • orange 1, juice only, strained
  • orange strips 4 wide
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6 Score the skin of the pork belly in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife (a stanley knife works well). Rub the sea salt into the pork skin and set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C. Wipe the salt off the pork skin with kitchen paper and dry well. Drizzle a large roasting tin with olive oil. Put the pork belly in the tin skin-side down, drizzle with a little more oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 190C and roast for another 1 1/2 hours. Carefully turn the pork over and roast for another 20 minutes, or until the skin is crisp. Remove the pork from the oven.  Place the pork on a warm serving platter, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice the pork and drizzle with the caramel vinegar (recipe opposite). Serve with steamed rice, a steamed Asian green vegetable and some freshly chopped red chilli. Caramel vinegar Put the sugar, vinegar, star anise and cinnamon in a small saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, or until syrupy. Stir in the chicken stock and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Add the orange juice and peel, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until thick and syrupy. Season to taste. Excellent with roasted sweet potatoes, steamed bok choy (with soy sauce) and creamed cauliflower (sweat the florets from half a cauliflower in 100g butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil, with lid on, until almost tender – don’t let them colour; add 200ml pure cream and cook over low heat another 10 minutes.  Transfer to a blender and blend until very smooth – season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper).