VOL. XIII
NO. 014
Bottle & Flame
Musings on food, wine, and more
EST. MMXIII
LAKE OSWEGO, OR
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Roast Pork Belly with Chile Vinegar
flameDinnerPork

Roast Pork Belly with Chile Vinegar

Ingredients

  • 1 4–5-pound skin-on, boneless pork belly

Kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 12-ounce bottle unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 12 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 6–12 green Thai chiles, lightly crushed but left whole
  • 2 serrano chiles, torn into small pieces
  • 4 12-ounce bottles hard apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  1. Season pork generously with salt. Set, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°. Pour 4 cups water into baking sheet with pork. Rub pork skin with oil; season with more salt. Roast, adding more water to pan as needed, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 195–200°, 1½–1¾ hours.
  3. Meanwhile, pour out ½ cup vinegar from bottle (save for another use). Remove pouring spout from bottle and add garlic, chiles, and a large pinch of salt. Cover and shake to distribute; let sit until ready to serve. (Or, combine in a glass jar or bowl).
  4. Bring hard cider and honey to a boil in a large saucepan; cook until thickened and very syrupy, 30–45 minutes.
  5. Increase oven temperature to 450°. Continue to roast pork until skin is browned and puffed, 15–20 minutes (add a few more splashes of water to baking sheet if juices are scorching). Transfer rack with pork to a cutting board; let rest 20 minutes.
  6. Pour off fat from baking sheet and add ½ cup water, scraping up browned bits. Return baking sheet to oven for a few minutes if needed to help loosen browned bits. Stir into reduced cider mixture.
  7. Remove skin from pork, using the tip of a knife to get it started (it should come off in 1 large piece with a little help). Slice pork lengthwise into 2"-wide strips, then crosswise into ½"-thick pieces. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with reduced cider mixture. Break skin into large pieces and arrange on top; place a few chiles from vinegar around. Serve with chile vinegar.
  8. Do Ahead: Chile vinegar can be made 1 week ahead. Store at room temperature.

Originally published at Bonappetit.com. Reproduced for personal collection.

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