This ginger pork belly is perfect for an Easter roast. Autumn is here, the weather is cooling down making roasts King of the kitchen. The ginger cuts through the richness of the pork belly, and is elevated by the sweet contrast of pears. My Canadian makes delicious ginger beer so we regularly have a bottle or two at home waiting. However, I would recommend buying one that is not too sweet; you want the spice of the ginger to infuse the pork.
The measurement for the ginger beer maybe not quite correct; it depends on the size of your roasting pan and how thick your belly is. Add more if you need it. The liquid should come half way up the thickness of the pork and not touch the skin. Plenty of salt on the skin, and keeping the skin dry are the key ingredients for perfect crackling. I often like to mix fruit pieces through with my roasts. Here, the pears are beautiful with the ginger pork belly. Apples would also be a delicious classic combination. I have thought about adding blackberries into this dish as well. These would have to be added closer to the end time, about ten minutes before finishing. They will go jammy and be a delicious accompaniment to the rich pork.
Serve with this some beautiful blanched greens; we used beans from the garden and broccoli. Hot buttered radish is also beautiful.
Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless pork belly
- 3x cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2cm fresh ginger grated
- 1 onion, sliced
- 200ml good quality ginger beer
- 200ml chicken stock
- 2x firm pears, cored and sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, cut into slices
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, mustard and ginger into a paste. Spread this on the flesh side of the pork, carefully keeping the skin dry for crackling. Into a roasting pan, add the onion slices and place the pork belly on top, skin side up. Carefully pour the liquids in and around the belly, not getting any on the skin. Take handful of salt and rub all over the skin. This will help make a delicious crackling.
Roast for 30 minutes and then add the sliced fennel and pear. Scatter them around the belly and return to the oven. Turn the oven down to 170 degrees and roast for 40 minutes or so. The pork should be fork tender and the pears cooked.
If the crackling isn't as crisp as you'd like, grill for a few minutes to help it crisp up.
