Crisp Pork Belly

INGREDIENTS

1.2 kg pork belly, skin on

2 tablespoons fine sea salt

1 tablespoon light olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

10-12 large feijoas

2 teaspoons cornflour, dissolved with 2 tablespoons cold water

METHOD

Remove the pork from the refrigerator, rinse well and pat dry. Rub the fine sea salt all over the skin and sides of the pork and set aside for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Rinse the salt off the pork pieces and again pat dry. Brush the skin with some of the oil and pour the remainder in an oven tray. 

Peel and cut the feijoas in half. Arrange them in the oven tray. Place the piece of pork, skin side up, over the feijoas. Sprinkle the sea salt flakes and fennel seeds on the skin of the pork. Cover with tin foil and bake for 3 hours, lightly basting every hour.

Remove the foil cover and cook for a further hour. Increase the heat to 220°C and cook for another 5-10 minutes, keeping your eye on the skin, until it is golden and very crisp. Remove from the oven and remove the pork from the dish. Wrap in foil and keep warm while resting for 15 minutes before.

Place the feijoas back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until caramelised. Drain the liquids from the pan, and pour into a small saucepan. Thicken with the cornflour and water mix to make a gravy. Serve caramelised feijoas with slices of the hot crisp pork belly, and finish with the pork and feijoa juices gravy.