Beer Braised Pork Belly Recipes

BEER-BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°. Using a very sharp knife, score pork in a tight crosshatch pattern to form 1/2" diamonds, cutting through fat but stopping at flesh. Season with salt and pepper, massaging into cuts.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high (if belly doesn't fit, cut in half crosswise). Cook pork, skin side down, turning once, until browned all over, 5-8 minutes per side (be careful, fat will splatter). Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoon drippings from pot, add star anise, cloves, and coriander and fennel seeds, and cook over low heat, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beer and apple juice, scraping up browned bits. Add pork along with onion and carrots, adding water if needed to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover pot, and transfer to oven. Braise pork 3 hours. Add apricots and braise until pork is very tender but not falling apart, 1-2 hours.
• Transfer pork, skin side up, to a rimmed baking sheet. Place vegetables and apricots in a large bowl; keep warm. Increase oven temperature to 475°; roast pork until skin is brown and very crisp, 25-35 minutes (the crispier, the better).
• Meanwhile, pour braising liquid into a large saucepan and skim off fat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced by two-thirds, 25-35 minutes.
• Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, about 5 minutes. Add brown butter and shallot to braising sauce; season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Cut pork into 8 pieces; serve with sauce, vegetables, and some horseradish.

BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, carefully place one piece of pork in the saute pan and sear, turning once, until golden. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of pork. Set aside.
• Carefully add the beer to the drippings in the pan and cook, scraping up the cooked bits with a wooden spoon, until reduced.
• Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in a large flame-proof roasting pan over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the pork to the roasting pan. Add the deglazed pan juices and enough chicken stock to cover the pork and vegetables. Add the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves and 2 generous pinches of salt. Cover the pan with foil and braise for 3 hours. Remove the foil and roast 30 minutes more. This will allow the pork to gain a beautiful color and for the braising liquid to reduce.
• Let the pork cool in the braising liquid for 30 minutes to increase tenderness. Remove the pork from the roasting pan and strain the braising liquid. Refrigerate separately until ready to use. The pork can be served sliced or shredded.