Yield: 6 servings
Preparation is moderate
Preparation time is 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh pork belly slabs about 1 ¼-inches thick (skin removed) (1.5 kilograms)
- 3 tablespoons chopped thyme
- 1-inch size piece of ginger (peeled)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 6 cups apple cider (1.5 litres)
- 6 cups water (1.5 litres)
- ¾ cup coarse salt (150 grams)
- 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (15 millilitres)
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns (7 millilitres)
- 4 pieces star anise
To finish:
- 3 large heatproof Ziplock bags
- 1 cup rendered bacon, duck or goose fat (250 millilitres)
- ¼ cup verjus (60 millilitres)
- ½ cup brown veal stock
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (15 millilitres)
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- 2 Granny Smith apples
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Make some small holes in the pork belly slabs and insert the whole cloves.
- In a large stainless steel pot, combine the remaining ingredients and bring them to a boil. Once is have boiled, remove the pan from the heat and cool the brine down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the brine to a large plastic container and submerge the pork belly in brine and cure it for 48 hours in the fridge.
- Remove the pork from the brine and discard the brine. Cut the pork belly into 6 to 8 ounce squares and place 2 or 3 squares in each Ziplock bag. Add about 1/2 cup of rendered bacon fat to each, expel excess of air from bags and zip lock the bags.
- Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and poach the pork belly pieces en “ Sous-vide” for 1 ½ hours at a simmer over a medium-low heat. After this time, remove the pork pieces from the zip lock bags, discard the fat, and pick the cloves out from the meat.
- Cut each pork belly square in half. In a stainless steel frying pan bring 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to a sizzle over a medium-high heat and place the pork belly pieces in it to caramelize. Cook until the meat is crisp on all sides, add ¼ cup of verjus to the pan to deglaze it, then reduce this by half. Add 1/2 cup of brown veal stock to the pan and transfer the pan to the oven to cook the belly for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set the pork belly pieces aside. Reduce the liquid over a high heat until reduced by 2/3. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped black truffles, season and add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of chopped thyme.
- Serve the pork belly pieces on a bed of frissee lettuce tossed in walnut oil, garnish with sliced granny smith apple, and spoon the jus around the plate. Garnish with a few drops of walnut oil and fleur de sel.