Day 93: crackle, snap, crunch
Roast pork has always been a favourite in my life, and it has graced many a Sunday dinner - in all its gloriousness - over the years; as I’m sure it has for many of you, too. And it’s no secret that most of those joining to partake in said roast dinner are thinking about the crackling before you’ve even served it up.
Favourite’s for me are pork shoulder and pork belly: I love pork fat and it makes all the difference in fat-rich/marbled cuts as it renders on a slow cook, seeping into the sweet, tender meat. I’ve only really had pork belly stuffed and rolled for a Sunday dinner, so I was quite looking forward to cooking Nigella’s Slow Roast Pork Belly this Sunday. Less fiddling with the string, too!
Nigella’s Slow Roast Pork Belly
Tahini is still new in my life: I know it has many uses, but thus far my experiences with it are limited to stirring through yogurt (for Nigella’s Beef and Aubergine Fatteh - Day 60) and blending with chickpeas (for hummus). I am now delighted to know that it can be used in marinades, too!
The hardest parts of this recipe are 1) having to wait to cook your piece of pork whilst the marinade works its magic, and 2) knowing that you then have to wait another four hours, to enjoy said marinaded pork, whilst it cooks.
It is so worth the wait!
Flavour musings
Gorgeously tender, sweet, and salty pork with a golden brown crackling so perfect it will have everyone at your dinner table squabbling over who gets the last piece.
The low and slow cooking time of Nigella’s Slow Roast Pork Belly renders the fat (so fat-phobes need not be worried about the gelatinous wobbly fat found in improperly cooked belly cuts) so perfectly that it keeps the meat beautifully moist as it tenderises in the low heat of a long roast.
I adore cold roast pork - particularly if it’s marbled with fat, like shoulder or belly - so much of the leftovers could very well get eaten up every time I go into the fridge (taking a knife for easy slicing with me in each time). However, I will be saving some to use as suggested in the ‘Making Leftovers Right’ section of the recipe in Feast.
