There are 2 kinds of people at Christmas. Those who wrap their own presents, and those who cart their haul of goodies to the nearest gift wrap tent (hey, bonus points for efficiency!)
If you fall into the latter, then chances are you also fall into the lazy chef category too. There’s nothing to be ashamed about, but we know that there’s better things you could be doing these holidays than slaving away in the kitchen, basting, roasting, carving, mixing or glazing – ain’t nobody got time for that.
Never fear, you can still put on a killer Christmas spread without wasting away your Christmas holidays!
Here’s why we’re loving pork belly:
- Pork belly doesn’t require any fancy glazing techniques, this is one low maintenance cut of meat.
- Pork belly takes a fraction of the time to cook as it’s a smaller cut of meat.
- It’s perfect for smaller gatherings- you can cut and cook as much (or little) pork belly as you need, so you won’t be left with a ton of meat 3 weeks after Christmas is done. You can even ask your butcher to do this for you.
- Nothing beats golden, bubbly crackle!
Sure, pork belly isn’t as traditional as your glistening glazed ham, but it’s the lazy chef’s next best thing
Recipe
- Score the skin of your pork belly with a very sharp knife or Stanley knife, across the short edge of the pork belly, at around about 2cm intervals.
- Place your pork belly onto a rack above a roasting tray (this allows the fat to run from the pork belly, so it doesn’t stew).
- Rub with oil, then sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place into a preheated oven at 180°C and cook for 2 hours.
- Increase the temperature to 200°C and cook for a final 30 minutes to really get that golden, crispy crackle.
- To test that the pork belly is cooked, pierce the meat with a small knife- if the juices run clear, your pork belly is fully cooked.
- Leave to rest for 15 minutes before carving with a sharp carving knife.
- Serve with apple sauce or gravy
TIP: If you are having trouble carving through the crackle, place the pork belly crackle side down on a dry and clean chopping board and cut through the meat first.
ULTIMATE LAZY TIP: If that still sounds too much like hard work, check out the Bucking Bull Catering Menu, perfect for the Christmas season! We have a range of packages and catering options available so you can enjoy all the flavour and trimmings you’ve come to love about the festive season, without stepping a foot in the kitchen!
