Pork Belly

A national favourite and a restaurant classic, pork belly is the ultimate slow-cooking joint, celebrated for its ability to transform into a dish full of rich, indulgent flavours with sensational results at home. What makes British pork belly stand out is the intricate layering of high-quality fat and tender, lean meat - a combination that delivers unbeatable succulence and depth of flavour.

As the belly cooks low and slow, the lace-thin fat gently renders, naturally basting the joint to create buttery, melt-in-the-mouth pork that’s as tender as it is flavourful. This self-basting effect is what gives pork belly its signature richness and keeps the meat moist throughout cooking.

Our pork belly benefits from traditional dry-ageing methods, allowing the meat to develop a deeper, more intense flavour while enhancing the texture. The skin, left to dry naturally over time, becomes ‘extra’ dry, resulting in golden, blistering crackling with an unbeatable crunch - the kind that shatters at the touch of a knife.

Whether roasted to perfection for a Sunday lunch centrepiece, braised for an Asian-inspired dish, or slow-cooked and finished on the barbecue, pork belly offers incredible versatility and flavour.

Inspiration from Chef Val Warner
"The pork belly is a favourite cut of mine. I'm not one for shying away from fat, so very essential to cooking, yet hounded from the room by the current trend for vanity eating. 

Cooked well, it will be juicy and meltingly tender. However, although the fat content does allow for a long, slow cook, it can actually be overcooked where the meaty fibres become soft and crumbly. I have to say I worry when someone proudly announces their 12-hour slow roast! It’s best to aim for a give and tenderness that retains firmness and structure.

So often celebrated for its crispy skin and rightly so, I'd still recommend having fun with buta no kakuni; the Japanese treatment for braised pork belly. Here the belly meat, fat and skin is all braised until wobbly and luscious, and served in its own thin yet intense broth of pork stock, soya sauce and sugar, and scented with fresh ginger. Lift the lid from the bowl and you’ll be rewarded with an aroma to die for, and a taste that’s even better. Often served with mangetout, and mustard as the condiment. 

Pork curries, such as those found in Myanmar are fiery, red and deep in flavour, that slick of fat a prerequisite to these ferocious offerings. Pork belly makes for a very rich curry to be enjoyed in small amounts, with rice and other accompanying dishes to pick at.

Porchetta is a mainstay across Italy, often served from vans one may easily mistake for ice-cream sellers. Either stuffed, or simply seasoned with herbs, it is rolled, tied, and roasted until crispy. It’s then sliced to end up in bread with various sauces. It's a wonder!

In lean game meat terrines pork belly is a very useful ingredient to add, perfect for fattening the mix whether coarsely ground or cut to size.

Sitting down to a white tablecloth in a traditional corner of Chinatown, ducks hanging in the window, I will always ask that my rice arrives alongside a portion of Chinese crispy pork - utterly delicious.

For an oriental twist, try a dry rub of five-spice, salt and sugar rubbed into the lean underside, and roast on a trivet over a tray of water.

To finish on more of a home note, I like to cook pork belly on the bone. Season with ground fennel and coriander seed, lemon zest, fresh rosemary and sea salt, then roast until crisp. Slice, and serve with baked stuffed apples and gravy. The leaking caramelised juices in the tray combined with a little white wine or cider, briefly simmered with little fuss, make for a devastatingly delicious jus.

NOTE: Before cooking, place the pork belly on a trivet in the sink to keep it elevated from the hot water. Pour a large kettle of boiling water over the skin to open the pores. Allow the pork to cool, then salt generously – this will help achieve beautifully crisp, golden crackling."

⭐ great taste® 2023 Judges' Comments
"This is a beautifully presented joint with a good, crunchy crackling. The judges loved the presentation on the bone. The flavour of the meat was clean and the pig flavour was gentle and in check, making for a very people-pleasing roasting joint. An attractive piece of pork with a salted topping. The crackling was crunchy with a good layer of tasty fat below. The meat was juicy and tender."