STEP 9: TIED AND READY You should have a nice,
even log that’s probably way too long to fit in your oven
(unless you were wise and opted for a smaller piece of
belly). We’ll deal with that in a moment, but for now, notice
how the pieces of string create indentations in the rind: this
will be useful for portioning and slicing the roast later on.
STEP 10: ADD THE BAKING POWDER (not
pictured)This is a trick I learned from my wife’s aunt in
Colombia, where pork belly is prepared rubbing the roast
with a mixture of baking soda and salt, which raises the pH
of the skin and causes some of its proteins to break down
more readily, resulting in crisper skin. I find straight baking
soda to have a slight soapy aftertaste, but using slightly
alkaline baking powder instead works marvelously. I mix
my baking powder at a ratio of 1 to 3 with kosher salt (by
volume) before rubbing it all over the surface of the roast.
nandana
(Nandana)
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