Crispy Beer Braised Pork Belly

If there is one cut of pork that I truly adore it would be pork belly. The cut is so versatile and packed with flavour no matter what you do with it. My new favourite way of cooking pork belly is beer braising it and then finishing off the skin in a hot oven to get it nice and crispy.

My crispy beer braised pork belly is so delicious and jam packed with flavour plus it is super easy to make.

Preparing the pork belly

Start by laying the pork belly skin side down and rubbing the meat side completely with my Mediterranean herb and spice mix. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or ideally overnight.

When ready to braise remove the pork belly from the plastic wrap and place it in a dutch oven or oven safe container. Place braising liquid over the pork, cover with a lid or foil and place in a oven set to 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit) for 3 hours. Pork will be very tender

Fact of the day: Did you know that pork is the most commonly consumed red meat worldwide!

After braising

After braising I recommend cooling the pork completely in the braising liquid as the pork will be extremely tender and will break apart if not left to cool down. I would go so far as to put the whole pot into the fridge once cooled down sufficiently. If you want to use the pork the same day, once cooled to room temperature move the pork very carefully to a roasting tray and make sure the skin is dry.

Coat the skin with the oil of your choice and sprinkle with sea salt.

Crank up your grill to 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) and place the pork on the top shelf. Watch the pork very carefully as you risk burning the skin before it becomes crispy. If you see it browning too quickly lower the rack a bit.

Alternatively, once the pork is cold you can slice into individual portions and pan fry or grill for all types of delicious dishes such as sandwiches, salads and Yummy Ramen!