what to do with belly pork?

[crisgal]

i got some in morrisons cus it was very cheap yet quite lean.
But then i realised i haven't cooked it before! How would you do it?
We wouldn't be able to eat the fat unless it was crispy, yet want it to be tender!
Is that possible?

[mxyzptlk]

I would cook it the same way as pork chops, but treat the rind the same as for a pork joint for crackling.

[crisgal]

do you mean take it off?

[Rollo]

Make small diagonal slits in the fat. Rub a little salt into the fat to make it crispy as it cooks.

Roast in an oven with the fat side up.

[Donquixote]

Belly pork is naturally fatty, and layered up between the meat, so there's no way you can remove all of the fat... but this is what makes it so wonderfully moist and flavoursome! If you cook it well it will have beautifully crispy crackling on top, and the layered fat underneath will render down and simply melt in the mouth when eaten.

The best way to cook it is to keep it simple:
Rub a little oil over the skin, and then a little salt, and rub it in well. Then simply place in the oven at 220C for 10 mins, then turn the oven down to 180C (170C if fan assisted) and allow to slowly roast - the time needed depends on the weight of the meat you're using. As a rough guide, once the crackling is a deep golden colour, the meat will normally be cooked. If you allow it to rest for 5 minutes once you've removed it from the oven, the meat will relax and the crackling will harden. Yum!

Good luck!

[crisgal]

drool

[kira000]

For the best crackling on belly pork, make sure the skin is scored deeply in long slashes along the meat. The slashes must be deep enough to go through all the layers, not just break the skin. I use a stanley knife i have for kitchen use.

Then, sprinkle a fair amount of salt on the skin and leave it for about 30 mins. The salt will draw moisture out of the fat. Using kitchen paper towel, wipe off all the salt thoroughly so the skin feels very dry to touch.

Sprinkle on a small amount more of salt.

The cooking is pretty easy, DonQuiote's instructions should work fine. A good blast for up to 20 mins in hot oven (220) to start the skin off, then turn it down to between 150-180. 150 for longer will give you ultra soft and tender meat. If you are at 180, then shorten the time, and the meat will be slightly firmer.

Belly pork- its the best!!