Medium
8
Published 2019
If you really want to go over the top, confit some pork belly. The first time I had it, I nearly fell out of my chair.
Combine the garlic, brown sugar, pepper, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix to distribute the seasonings.
Coat the pork belly chunks with an even layer of salt and put them in a zip-top plastic bag. Add the garlic-spice mixture and rub it around to coat the pork as evenly as possible. Refrigerate the pork overnight. Midway through, give them a rub and a shake to redistribute the seasonings.
Remove the pork chunks from the bag and rinse off the seasonings. Pat them dry. Put them in an oven-safe pot that is taller than it is wide; it’s fine to overlap and stack them. Pour in enough oil or fat to ensure that they are completely submerged.
Put the pot over high
Let the pot come to room temperature, then transfer the pork to a container and pour the fat over the pork until it’s completely submerged (reserve the gelatinous confit liquid at the bottom of the pot for another use). Cover and refrigerate.
To finish the pork: Go over the top and deep-fry it in vegetable oil until it’s crispy on the outside and hot and tender inside.
© 2019 All rights reserved. Published by Abrams Books.