Pork Belly With Potatoes
adapted from Tamasin Day-Lewis’s Kitchen Bible
Prep time: about 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours; leaving it in the oven on low heat for an additional 2 hours is optional.
The dish can also be prepared in a slow cooker; consult your model’s directions.
Yield: 2-4 servings
olive oil for the pan
bouquet garni: a few sprigs parsley, thyme, and 2 bay leaves, tied with kitchen string
1 1/2 pounds meaty pork belly, preferably organic
3-5 large Yellow Finn or other waxy potatoes (about 1 pound) scrubbed and quartered, peeling optional
1 pint or one 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice
3 small shallots, peeled and chopped
3-6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (depending on preference)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
parsley for top (optional)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Using a large, sharp knife, slice the pork belly into cubes. If pork belly has a rind, trim it off. If the knife is slipping, place the pork belly in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.
Rind can be saved, divided up into small portions and frozen, for use in soups, stews, or anywhere a little fat is needed for cooking.
Place a 3 or 4 quart oven-safe, heavy lidded casserole over medium-low heat. Enameled cast iron is ideal, but any oven-safe, heavy-duty pot will do. Heat a film of olive oil in the pot. Lay the bouquet garni inside, add the pork, potato, tomatoes and juices, shallots, garlic, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. I take this step as my pan, a Staub “Everyday” pot, requires gentle preheating. Stir gently, cover, and place in oven.
Cook at 325 F for 1 1/2 to 2/ 1/2 hours, giving the dish an occasional stir. Pork and potatoes are ready when fork tender. At this point, you have three options:
-Serve immediately
-Cool, refrigerate, and serve within two days
-Turn your oven down to 200F or the “keep warm” function and leave the pork and potatoes in, uncovered, up to two more hours. Do check the dish periodically, as ovens vary and your oven’s “warm” setting may be far warmer or cooler than mine: you may need to turn your oven up or down.
Safety Note: My oven’s keep warm function is warm enough that I do not fear bacterial growth. Should you have concerns over food safety, don’t set your oven temperature lower than 200F for protracted periods of time. Please err on the side of caution.
Pork belly and potatoes goes nicely with a fresh green salad. I made a salad dressing of lemon, Coleman’s horseradish, and olive oil for iceberg lettuce, that wrongly maligned vegetable. It was perfect with the richly fatty pork.