Australian Gourmet Traveller - (06)June 2019 (1)

GOURMET TRAVELLER 77

Masterclass

160 gmfineseasalt

5 freshbayleaves

2 kgporkbellyonthe bone

25 mlwhitewine

¼ bunchthyme

3 garliccloves

1.5 litres(6cups)oliveoil

(orenoughtocover)

Apple chutney, to serve

1

Makea brinebydissolvingsalt

in2 litrescoldwater.Placeporkin

a large,non-reactivecontainerthat

willholdit snugly.Pourbrineover,

add3 bayleaves,andrefrigerate

overnight,weighingdownporkwith

a platetokeepit submerged.Brining

helpstokeepthemoistureinthe

meatandwillseasonit rightthrough.

2

Preheatovento80°Corits

lowestsetting.Linea deep

roastingpanwithbakingpaper.

Removeporkfrombrine,patdry,

andplace,skin-sidedown,inthe

roastingpan.Addwine,thyme,garlic,

remainingbayleaves,andenough

oliveoiltosubmergepork,then

coverwitha layerofbakingpaper,

thenfoil,orwitha lid.Roast,

checkingoccasionallytomake

sureoilisn’tbubblingandmeat

isn’texposed,untilbonesfeellike

they’llslideeasilyfromtheflesh

(8hoursorovernight).Thisslow-

cooking process flavours the meat,

STEP BYSTEP

SERVES 4 // PREPTIME 20 MINS

// COOK8½HRS(PLUSBRINING,

COOLING, PRESSING)

butalsohelpstorenderthefat,

whichwillgiveit a crispfinish.

Carefullyliftporkbellyoutofthe

oilandplaceit, skin-sidedown,in

a roastingpanlinedwithbaking

paper.Discardtheoil.

3

Removebonesandtrimany

sinewandcartilage.Cover

meatwithanothersheetofbaking

paperandplacea smallerpanon

top,thenweighdownwithfood

cans.Refrigerateovernightto

compressthemeat.Thishelps

tocompressthelayersofflesh

andfat,givingtheporka more

intenseflavouranda richerfinish.

Atthisstage,themeatwillkeep

inthefridgefora week.

4

If thereis lessthan2cmoffat

undertheskin,there’susually

noneedtoscoretheskin,butif it’s

thicker,scoretheskinina cross-

hatchpatternwitha sharpknife,

avoidingcuttingintothemeat.

Scoringhelpsthefatrender

andtheskinbecomecrisp.

5

Preheatovento210°Candline

a roastingpanwithfoil,then

bakingpaper.Placeporkbelly,

skin-sideup,inpanandrubrind

witha coupleofpinchesofsalt

flakes.Gatherupsidesofbaking

paperandfoiltoforma wallaround

(notover)theporkandpourin

enoughwatertocomehalfway

upthesides(thiskeepsjuicesin,

whilestillallowingtherindtocrisp).

Roastuntiltheskinis turninggolden

(20-30minutes),thenincrease

ovento250°Candroastuntil

skinis deepgoldenandcrackled

(15-20minutes).Restfor 10 minutes,

then serve with apple chutney.➤

Startthisrecipetwodays ahead.When

removingthebonesafterslow-cookingthe

pork,pickanymeat fromthe bonesandsave

itfora porkroll,orleave a little meatonthe

ribsand turntheminto stickyribs,which

makea greatsnack. Thebriningprocessis

optional, but adds extra flavour and moisture.

RECIPE

MIKE

MC

ENEARNEY.

PHOTOGRAPHY

ALICIA

TAYLOR.

STYLING

GERALDINE

MU

ÑOZ.

ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN.