Three-Hour Pork Belly

Still a relatively cheap cut, pork belly yields beautiful soft flesh and crisp crackling when slow-roasted.

Ingredients

2 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 small bunch thyme, leaves only

3 garlic cloves

3 tbsp olive oil

1.5-2kg/3lb 5oz-4lb 8oz piece boneless pork belly, skin scored

2 lemons

Instructions

STEP 1 Toast 2 tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp black peppercorns in a dry frying pan for a couple of mins. Pound them together in a pestle and mortar with some flaked sea salt, the leaves from 1 small bunch of thyme and 3 garlic cloves to make a paste.

STEP 2 Mix with 2 tbsp olive oil and rub all over the flesh of a 1½ - 2kg piece of boneless pork belly. Cover and chill, leaving to marinate for a few hours or overnight.

STEP 3 When ready to cook, rub the skin of the joint with plenty of salt and 1 tbsp more olive oil. Sit on a wire rack in a roasting tin and roast at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 mins.

STEP 4 After this time, squeeze 2 lemons over the skin and turn the heat down to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Roast for a further 2 hrs.

STEP 5 Finally, turn the heat back up to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7 and give it a final blast for another 30 mins or so, to finish the crackling.

STEP 6 Allow to rest somewhere warm for 20 mins. Carve up into chunks or slices and serve with the braised cabbage (below) and bay-infused potatoes (see 'goes well with').