Recipe - Sticky Pork Belly Slices

Pork is one of my favourite meats, its so versatile it can be used for anything, pork also is one of the cheapest meats to buy, where as every other meat has sky rocketed, pork thankfully remains cheap. the cheaper cuts too can make a great meal. Pork belly slices are a fatty product cooked well can be very tasty. Not one for the calorie counting the belly of pork pretty much does what it says, a whole belly although fatty is boneless so easily cut and used at home, no wastage complete value. If you dislike the fat or rind of chops/bacon chances are this isn't a cut of meat for you.

Used in various ways, pork belly can be slow roasted and pulled making a great centrepiece for a buffet or party, Rolled and simply roasted, pulled pork rolls, barbequed, diced and braised making great one-pot meals, used for oriental dishes, or simply cut into slices where you can create and explore with what takes your fancy.

One option is to dice and sauté with onions chilli and various spices and used as part of fajitas or taco's.

my favourite option is to marinade and oven cook. they become sticky, tasty, juicy and they go with everything.

This recipe is a taster of what you could do with a simple cheap product. this time around I haven't put any costing's. I served them up with a cheats Dauphinois Potato.

1 Pack of  pork belly strips.
1 Garlic clove
I Sachets of Discovery Fajita mix and crumb
Dried Parsley
Dried Thyme
Coriander seeds.
Seasoning
Olive oil
Smoked paprika

Preparation Time -
Take 2 bowls, on one bowl, finely slice a peeled garlic clove, add 2 table spoons of Olive oil, heavily season then add a 1/2 teaspoon of the Parsley, Thyme and a couple of turns of the Coriander seeds (or crush in a Pestle & Mortar) add 1/2 the pork strips and toss and completely cover refrigerate allow to marinate for 3 hours, In the 2nd bowl, add the Fajita mix and the Paprika, pat dry the remaining belly strips and season. Coat the belly strips in the mix so nothing is wasted and then brush with olive oil and cover and refrigerate  to marinate in the dry mix for 3 hours.

Cooking time -
Place a roasting tin on to the top shelf of your oven on full to start with add a drizzle of Olive Oil to coat the bottom. 4-5 mins later when the Oil is Smoking hot take out and carefully away from you placing the strips from both bowls on the bottom, cook on full heat for 10 mins then take out and cool oven to gas mark 5 or 190 degrees. Baste the strips and then put back in and cook for 35 mins basting every 10 mins.

The result should be perfect every time, should you use a sweet ingredient such as BBQ, Hoi Sin etc reduce starting temperature to 190 but for 45 mins keeping a close eye the sugar based sauce doesn't burn, keep in the lowest part of the oven.