Sticky slow-roast belly of pork

Sticky slow-roast belly of pork

Pork belly is a relatively cheap cut of meat, making this an affordable roast to feed a crowd

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs 30 mins

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lay the pork, skin-side up, on a rack in a roasting tin. Trickle with a little oil, then lightly press on the crushed peppercorns and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. Place in the oven, then cook for 1 hr. Remove from the oven and baste with the juices. Continue to cook for a further 1½ hrs, basting every 20 mins.
  2. Put the sliced onions in the roasting tin under the pork. Mix the honey together with the cumin and chilli, brush it over the pork, then increase the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Cook for a further 30-40 mins, basting occasionally, until caramelised with a rich, golden glaze over the pork. Once cooked and tender (this can be easily tested by piercing the flesh with a knife), remove pork from the oven, then leave to rest for 10-15 mins.
  3. While the pork is resting, heat the tin on the stove with the onions, adding 2 tbsp water. This will lift any residue from the pan, creating a moist cooking liquor. Season the onions with salt and pepper, then divide between 6 plates. Carve pork into 6 portions, then serve on top of the onions. Pour any remaining liquor over and serve with the Pumpkin mash (below).
Try

Pumpkin mash

Peel 1 kg pumpkin and cut into chunks. Season and roast with the pork for the last 30 mins until soft and fluffy. Meanwhile, peel 1kg potatoes and cut into chunks. Boil in salted water for 10 mins until soft. Drain and mash with 2 tbsp milk and 50g butter, seasoning to taste. Mash the pumpkin into the potato until smooth.

PER SERVING

620 kcalories, protein 43g, carbohydrate 12g, fat 45 g, saturated fat 17g, fibre 1g, sugar 9g, salt 0.4 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 21 January 2009

    The Farmers Wife rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This recipe was easy to make, if a little time consuming with nurmerous visits back to the oven to baste etc. The sticky sauce was yummy and the onions were delicious. I suppose my only problem is that Belly Pork is rather a fatty meat. I will try again using ahoulder or leg of pork. The children really enjoyed it too, the crackle was lovely!

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  • 23 January 2009

    John rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely delicious. Had enough for left overs, equally as tasty cold.

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  • Binder photo Jan

    01 February 2009

    Jan rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was absolutely delicious! I bought some lean, not very fatty belly pork from the butcher; he scored it so it was really easy to cut into long slices. The dark sticky crisp crackling was great. Definitely a dish I'll be making next time friends come for supper.

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  • 07 February 2009

    Mods commented on this recipe

    Delicious! delicious! delicious! as with most of James Martins recipes they are well thought out and great!

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  • 27 February 2009

    Romana commented on this recipe

    I've made this three times already, enjoyed it every single time. Butternut squash mash goes very well with it. Will deffinitely cook it again.

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  • 27 February 2009

    Romana rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 22 March 2009

    Shill rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really enjoyed this. Struggled to get hold of belly pork so used leg instead, and worked beautifully. It all got eaten so no 'left over' sandwiches tomorrow...unfortunately! Will definitely do again!

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  • 30 March 2009

    Sarah rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oh my God, my housemate and her boyfriend cooked this for myself and my partner on Saturday and it was absolutely gorgeous! The meat was perfectly soft, not really fatty at all (I hate squidgy fat!) and the crackling was crisp, chewy and sweet, yum! Apparently it wasn't that difficult either so I will definitely be giving it a go myself too. We had it with butternut squash and potato mash (as they couldn't find pumpkin, which was suggested) and sweet mini baby carrots. Definitely recommend this one!

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  • 10 April 2009

    Bookworm rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This dish is delicious. Have made it with just the honey and it is still gorgeous.

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  • 23 April 2009

    Wendy commented on this recipe

    I have cooked this recipe 3 times now, recently as a dinner party main. I omit the cumin and use half balsamic syrup and half honey for the marinade. Absolutely delicious and so easy to make!

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  • 23 April 2009

    Wendy rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 09 May 2009

    Mary Gunter rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    yummy

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  • 10 May 2009

    annie bee commented on this recipe

    This looked just like the picture until 15 mins after putting on the honey! Turning the oven up and adding honey ends up blackening it and if I'ld left it in the whole time suggested it would have been ruined. Pork very tender nonetheless. Good with your puy lentil and chorizo recipe. I served the onions with cherry tomatoes sauted in olive oil and garlic and kept the gravy plain.

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  • 16 May 2009

    booty commented on this recipe

    Absolutely fab made this for my wife a couple of weeks ago trying again tonight, maybe tonight's the night eh?

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  • 29 June 2009

    Richard W rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely 'crackling' recipe! This is the best recipe for belly pork I've ever come across. Quite superb!

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  • 02 August 2009

    Kyra rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 06 August 2009

    Tim Evans commented on this recipe

    This is pork as it's meant to be! Simply amazing, although I have had a similar experience to the earlier poster about the meat blackening. The final stage need not be as long sa stated. I want to eat it again right now.

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  • 14 November 2009

    Josie P-G commented on this recipe

    Along with everyone else, I love this recipe having tried it for the first time tonight. Had no ground cumin so added a little garam masala instead and added gravy granules to the liquor and strained, serving as gravy and the onions as a "relish". Already planning to serve again to friends....yummy!

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  • 14 November 2009

    Josie P-G rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Forgot to rate it!

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  • 17 November 2009

    Stuart rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Wow... this dish rocks so much I think I have out on 3 stone since I found it!!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

  • 1.3kg piece pork belly , boned, rind left on and scored (ask your butcher to do this)
  • 2 tsp sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp white peppercorns , crushed
  • 3 large onions , sliced
  • 2-3 tbsp clear honey
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 red chilli , deseeded and chopped
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PER SERVING

620 kcalories, protein 43g, carbohydrate 12g, fat 45 g, saturated fat 17g, fibre 1g, sugar 9g, salt 0.4 g

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