Crisp Roast Pork Belly with Caramelised Syrup

I never used to use pork belly for roasting until a friend of mine served this delicious roast up at a dinner party. I was amazed by how wonderful it was so asked if I could share her recipe with you. I have seen quite a lot of different ways of cooking the belly and Jamie Oliver also has a great recipe on his site for doing it a different way. This would be a great entree if having a large dinner party or else as mains for a dinner party for 4 - 6 people.

INGREDIENTS:

1.2 - 1.5 kg pork belly
sea salt to rub in
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper.

CARAMELISED SYRUP:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup chicken stock
juice of an orange
orange peel
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

METHOD:

Preheat oven to very hot 220C for fan forced.
Score the skin of the pork about a centimetre apart with a very sharp small knife. Make sure you don't cut into the meat.
Rub plenty of sea salt into the scores, making sure you get well into each mark. Brush off the excess salt. Turn meat over and lightly season the underside with salt and black pepper.
In a baking pan, spread a little olive oil in the bottom and place the pork belly in the pan skin side up and place in the hot oven. Drizzle a little more oil over the pork.
Roast for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the skin is starting to puff up into crackling.
Turn heat down to 180C and roast for about another hour.
Remove and baste with any fat in the bottom of the pan.
Set aside for 15 minutes while you make your cramelised syrup.
Serve the pork sliced with the syrup drizzled over it, some creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and some sweet mustard on the side.



Syrup:

Put the sugar, vinegar and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, until syrupy.
Stir in the chicken stock and simmer another 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add the orange juice and peel and reduce heat to low. Simmer very gently until thick and syrupy.
Season to taste.