Ginger-beer pork belly
Ginger-beer pork belly
Ingredients
Pork belly
- 1.5 l ginger beer
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1.2-1.5 kg pork belly (cut off skin but leave fat layer underneath (save skin for crackling if desired))
- ¾ cup char siu sauce (gluten-free if required)
Salad
- 1 iceberg lettuce (cut into wedges)
- 1 handful mesclun or coloured salad leaves
- ½ pawpaw (sliced)
- mint leaves handful (torn)
- ¼ cup toasted long-thread coconut
- ¼ cup honey-roasted peanuts (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 limes (juice and zest)
- 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
- 1 red onion (sliced and soaked in ¼ cup apple cider vinegar for 20 minutes or until pink and tender)
- lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- 2
Pour ginger beer into a medium roasting dish and add the onion, star anise, cinnamon stick and pork belly, fat side up (it should be submerged). Cover with foil and cook for 2½ hours.
150 min - 3
Remove from oven and strain off 1 cup cooking liquid into a small pan. Add char siu sauce to pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes to make a glossy glaze.
4 min - 4
Discard any remaining liquid, onion and spices from dish. Cut pork into strips or cubes, return to roasting dish and brush generously with glaze. Turn oven to 180°C and cook pork for 15 minutes or until caramelised and bubbling.
15 min - 5
For the salad, layer the greens, pawpaw, and mint in a large serving bowl then scatter over coconut and peanuts. Combine sesame oil, lime juice, zest and chilli sauce in a jar and shake well. Drizzle over the salad at the last minute.
- 6
Serve the caramelised pork with the salad, drained, marinated onions and a lime wedge for squeezing.
