CHEF JOHN'S CARAMEL PORK BELLY

Chef John's Caramel Pork Belly image

I wasn't really sure I understood the true essence of unctuousness, but after eating this caramel pork belly I'm pretty sure I get it now. Each bite was pure pleasure. I'm usually a very fast eater, but I tried to eat as slowly as I possibly could. It was just so unctuous.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork

Time 16h30m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 bunch green onions - white parts chopped, green parts cut into 3 1/2-inch lengths
10 ounces whole pork belly
salt to taste
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon ginger juice
½ teaspoon soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 whole dried red chile peppers
½ cup water

Steps:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil on a flat work surface. Lay 1/2 the green parts of the green onions down in the center of the foil. Place pork belly, fattiest-side down, on top of the green onions and top pork belly with remaining 1/2 the green parts of the green onions; sprinkle with salt. Fold aluminum foil tightly around pork and green onions. Wrap pork belly again in another sheet of aluminum foil. Place wrapped pork, seam-side up, in a loaf pan.
Cook pork belly in preheated oven for 5 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven heat and let cool in the oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight.
Remove pork from foil and discard green onions. Cut pork into 8 pieces.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp all over, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
Whisk brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, ginger juice, and soy sauce together in a bowl.
Remove most of the fat from the skillet and discard. Add 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar glaze and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until pork is glazed on all sides and pieces are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Make a well in the center of the skillet and add chopped white parts of the green onion, garlic, and peppers. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour water and remaining brown sugar glaze into skillet; simmer until sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410.2 calories, Carbohydrate 39.3 g, Cholesterol 51.2 mg, Fat 19.7 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 20.6 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, Sodium 2272.6 mg, Sugar 29.9 g