Hairy Bikers Roast Belly Pork Recipes

STUFFED ROAST PORK

Steps:

• For the filling, either put all the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until well combined - the mixture doesn't have to be completely smooth - or pound with a pestle and mortar. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the pork out, skin-side down, and rub the filling over the meat. Roll it up as tightly as you can and secure at intervals with butcher's string. If you have time, leave the pork in the fridge, uncovered or loosely wrapped in kitchen paper, overnight - or even better, for 2 nights. This gives the flavours time to permeate the meat and allows the skin to dry out. An hour before you are ready to start cooking the pork, remove it from the fridge so it can come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C/Gas 2. Arrange the potatoes and onion slices on the base of a large roasting tin and season with salt. Pour over the white wine or cider and the stock or water. Make sure the rind of the pork is dry and season it with salt. Place the pork on top of the potatoes and onions. Cover it with foil and put in the oven. Roast for 4 hours until the pork is cooked through. Check with a meat thermometer if you have one - the internal temperature should read 68°C. Turn the oven up to its highest setting and cook for a further half an hour to crisp up the skin. Remove from the oven and transfer the meat and potatoes to separate serving dishes. Leave the meat to rest for half an hour, uncovered, but keep the potatoes warm.

STICKY SLOW-ROAST BELLY OF PORK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lay the pork, skin-side up, on a rack in a roasting tin. Trickle with a little oil, then lightly press on the crushed peppercorns and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. Place in the oven, then cook for 1 hr. Remove from the oven and baste with the juices. Continue to cook for a further 1½ hrs, basting every 20 mins.
• Put the sliced onions in the roasting tin under the pork. Mix the honey together with the cumin and chilli, brush it over the pork, then increase the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Cook for a further 30-40 mins, basting occasionally, until caramelised with a rich, golden glaze over the pork. Once cooked and tender (this can be easily tested by piercing the flesh with a knife), remove pork from the oven, then leave to rest for 10-15 mins.
• While the pork is resting, heat the tin on the stove with the onions, adding 2 tbsp water. This will lift any residue from the pan, creating a moist cooking liquor. Season the onions with salt and pepper, then divide between 6 plates. Carve pork into 6 portions, then serve on top of the onions. Pour any remaining liquor over and serve with the Pumpkin mash (below).