Roast Pork Belly

This is a very easy and economic yet truly delicious joint – however the meat quality is vitally important. Ask your butcher for a Three Dales joint of belly pork which needs to be scored to help create lovely crispy crackling. Scoring it can be difficult and requires a very sharp knife so he will be delighted to score it for you.

1. Take the meat, unroll it (if it is rolled and tied), dry it all over with kitchen roll and then rub salt all over the skin and into the scored cuts. Don’t overdo this as it will make the crackling too salty. A teaspoon or two of salt should be all you need.
2. Place the joint flat in a roasting tin on a bed made from the halved onions and the root veg chopped into big chunks.
3. Place the joint in a hot oven (200 to 220°C) and the crackling should start to bubble and crisp within 20-30 minutes.
4. When the crackling has bubbled up nicely, but before it starts to burn, reduce the heat to 170°C and leave to cook slowly for a further 2 to 2.5 to hours.
5. Remove the meat and keep warm while you make gravy using the roasted vegetables and juices with some good stock or gravy powder if preferred.