Roast Pork Belly with Ginger Sweet Potatoes

Chef Tre Wilcox with Jullia Pearl Southern Cuisine makes a roasted pork belly with ginger sweet potatoes.


PORK BELLY

4 cups kosher salt
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons pink salt
1/2 cup black peppercorn, toasted
1/3 cup coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup clove, toasted
1/4 cup pink peppercorn, toasted
1/3 cup dried rosemary leaves, chopped
4 each bay leaf
12 pounds porkbelly, whole if possible
peanut oil to fry in

CURE AND COOKING METHOD:  In a mixing bowl combine sugar, salt, pink salt and bay leaf with all toasted spices.  Score pork belly on fat side. Sprinkle a thin layer of cure onto a sheet pan that the pork will rest on.  Rub the rest of cure on all sides of pork belly, place fat side up on sheet pan and pile the rest of cure on top.  Top pork with parchment paper and another sheet pan and weigh down with at least 10 pounds of pressure. Place into cooler for 3-4 days. 

Preheat oven to 250.  Remove pork and rinse cure off.  Dry with kitchen towels and place pork fat side up onto sheet pan lined with a rack.  Cook for 3 hours, rotating every hour or so.  After 3 hours turn oven up to 320 and cook for 35 more minutes.  Remove from oven and allow resting time of 2-3 hours or until cooled completely.  Cold smoke for 10 minutes and keep cold till time to serve.

Heat fryer to 375. Cut pork belly into 3-4 oz sticks, fry till golden brown and season with sea salt when they come out of fryer. Serve.


GINGER SWEET POTATOES

2 each sweet potato
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and grated on microplane
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and sugar to taste

Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and wrap each one in foil. Cook in 450 degree oven till soft.(20-25min)
Remove from oven and unwrap each potato. When cool enough to handle peel potatoes and place in a blender. Blend with butter, milk and ginger. Season with sugar and salt. Hold warm till time to plate.

LINK: www.juliapearlsoutherncuisine.com