Counter 02 · Pork
Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Scallion Oil
Soy and five-spice cured pork belly roasted low until the fat turns silky, cut into thick slices and served with pickled carrots and a ginger-scallion oil with a rich egg yolk.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Izakaya-style belly relies on a long, low roast rather than frying, which keeps the meat moist and the fat soft enough to melt on the tongue. A dry cure of salt, sugar and five-spice goes on the night before. The condiment is the fun part: sizzling oil poured over scallions and ginger, with a raw yolk dropped in at the table so each slice gets dragged through something rich and aromatic. Quick-pickled carrots in rice vinegar keep the plate sharp. Slice the pork cold for clean edges, then reheat.
Method
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Mix the salt, 2 tsp sugar and five-spice, rub it all over the belly, and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
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Heat the oven to 275 F. Brush the belly with soy sauce, set it fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan with 1/2 inch water underneath, and roast 3 hours until a knife slides in like butter.
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Toss the carrots with the rice vinegar, remaining 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt and let them pickle while the pork cooks.
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Put the scallions and ginger in a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt. Heat the oil until it just smokes and pour it over; it will sizzle. Stir in the sesame seeds.
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Rest the pork 20 minutes, then cut into 1-inch-thick slices. For extra color, sear the slices fat side down in a hot dry skillet for 2 minutes.
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Serve the slices with a tangle of pickled carrots and a small cup of scallion oil with an egg yolk slipped into each, to stir together at the table.
