Braised caramel pork belly, I made this for B2’s birthday and he LOVED it. It combined all his favourite things and he polished it off in equal time. Its not a ten minute make meal so its a meal to be savoured but its worth the effort not that there is much effort involved. The braising could be done ahead by a couple of days and then thrown under the grill when ready to go. The pork is also yum through a broth and noodles. Both images and recipe are from www.homelife.com.au
What you will need:
- 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- Roots from 1 bunch coriander, washed, chopped, plus extra leaves, to serve (I didnt have any)
- ½ cup (185 ml) kecap manis
- 3cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 pieces dried mandarin peel, or 2 strips fresh orange peel (forgot to put it in)
- 3 star anise
- 1 piece cassia bark or cinnamon stick, crumbles
- 1.7kg piece boneless pork belly
- Steamed gai lan and jasmine rice, to serve (I used long grain rice and broccoli B2’s favourite)
Caramel sauce
- 175g grated dark palm sugar (I used brown sugar)
- ¼ cup (60ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbs rice vinegar
- 1 red birdseye chilli, seeded, finely chopped
How to:
1. Combine ingredients & slowly cook
Preheat oven to 160°C. Combine all ingredients, except pork, with 2 cups water in casserole dish. Slowly bring to the boil over low-medium heat. Add pork then cover with a lid and cook in oven for 2 ½ hours or until very tender. Remove pork from liquid and discard all but 1/3 cup liquid, then refrigerate pork until cooled.
2. Making sauce
For sauce, place sugar and 1tbs water in a heavy-based saucepan and cook over low heat, without stirring, until sugar dissolves and caramelises. Gradually stir in reserved cooking liquid. Add fish sauce, vinegar and chilli and simmer for 1 minute.
3. Cut pork, grill & serve
Preheat grill to high. Cut pork into 2cm-thick slices and place sliced flat on a lightly greased oven tray. Grill for 5 minutes or until meat is golden and skin crisp. Serve pork with caramel sauce, extra coriander, gai lan and rice.
