BEANS AND BELLY

Beans and Belly image

This is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy pork belly and black-eyed peas, and I could not have been happier with how it came out. Make sure to start this up to 2 days in advance, as the beans require two rounds of overnight soaking--first while raw and again once tossed into a salad. Meanwhile, you'll bake the pork belly low and slow for 7 1/2 hours for an unparalleled richness and succulence that pairs perfectly with the acidic, bracing bean salad. You can also serve these in lettuce cups.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Meat and Poultry Pork

Time 16h10m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 20

Previous Next

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) whole pork belly, skin removed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
2 quarts fresh water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white vinegar
⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar
⅓ cup mild olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
Season pork belly with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Place fat-side down on a piece of parchment paper; fold paper around pork, then wrap in a few layers of foil. Place in a baking dish, fat-side up.
Bake in the preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 7 1/2 hours. Let cool completely, still wrapped, then transfer to the refrigerator.
Drain the soaked black-eyed peas and place in a pot with 2 quarts water. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Add bay leaf and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until beans are just tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain beans and set aside.
Whisk Dijon mustard, white vinegar, rice vinegar, and oil together in a bowl. Add garlic, onion, jalapeno, and bell pepper. Pour warm beans into the dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne; toss to combine. Wrap salad in plastic wrap and chill to let flavors blend, 8 hours to overnight.
Mix parsley into the salad and taste for seasoning.
Unwrap pork belly; cut into bite-sized chunks. Transfer pieces into a dry pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes.
Place salad in serving bowls and top with pork belly.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 374.6 calories, Carbohydrate 18.1 g, Cholesterol 41.1 mg, Fat 25 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 19.1 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, Sodium 2669.7 mg, Sugar 4.6 g