Pork Belly with Chili Jam, Aioli & Crunchy Green Apple Slaw

Ingredients

Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free

30 minutes preparation time + 2 hours cooking time (+ overnight drying)

6-8

Pork Belly

• 2 x 1 kg free-range boneless pork belly, skin on 
• Flakey sea salt

Crunchy Green Apple Slaw

• 1 large green apple, very finely sliced
• 2 handfuls of finely shredded green cabbage (about 1/4 of a small cabbage)
• 1 large handful fresh coriander leaves
• 1 large handful fresh Thai basil leaves 
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Flakey sea salt, to taste

To Serve - Cheat's Aioli

• 1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (apple cider, white wine, or red wine vinegar)
• 1 small clove fresh garlic, finely grated with a microplane or crushed
• Salt, to taste
• Chili Jam (store-bought)

Method

Pork Belly – The Day Before

1. Score the pork belly skin at 1 cm intervals.
2. Place on a rack or large plate, skin-side up, and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out.

Pork Belly – Day of Baking

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Place the pork belly skin-side down in a large roasting tray.
3. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and roast for 1 hour.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F).
5. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully flip the pork belly so it’s skin-side up.
6. Sprinkle with a little more flaky salt.
7. Roast for a further 1 hour, until the skin is crisp and golden.
8. Remove from the oven and rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
9. Serve with the slaw, aioli, and chilli jam.

Crunchy Green Apple Slaw

1. Place the apple, cabbage, coriander, and Thai basil in a bowl.
2. Just before serving, add the lime zest, juice, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Toss well.

Cheat’s Aioli

1. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, and salt in a small bowl or jar.
2. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. (Can be made 1-2 days ahead.)

NOTES

• Scoring the skin helps it crisp up beautifully. Use a very sharp knife or ask your butcher to do it.
• Leaving the pork uncovered in the fridge overnight is key for perfect crackling.
• If your oven runs hot, keep an eye on the pork during the second roasting phase to avoid burning the crackling.
• The slaw is best dressed right before serving to keep it fresh and crunchy.
• This recipe works well as a centrepiece for gatherings - simply scale up for larger groups.