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Slow Roasted Piri Piri Pork Belly

Tender, juicy pork belly with crispy crackling on top, served in a spicy tomato sauce with sweet potatoes.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 6 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 dried piri piri chilis seeded
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

For the roast

  • 1 kg pork belly
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 2 onions roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 2 dried piri piri chilis seeded
  • 2 cups passata
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 twigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C / 392°F
  • In a pestle and portar smash up the bay leaves with the salt until you have a paste. Add the chilis, smoked and sweet paprika, black pepper and olive oil and work it some more, until everything is smooth.
  • With a sharp knife score the skin of the pork belly in a tight criss cross pattern. Be careful not to cut into the meat underneath.
  • Massage the marinade into the pork belly, giving special attention to all the cuts on top.
  • Place the onions and garlic on the bottom of a roasting tray. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Add the the roasting try.
  • Finely slice the chilis and add them to the roasting tray.
  • Place the pork belly on top and roast in the oven for 45 minutes at 200°C / 392°F.
  • After 45 minutes take the roast out.
  • Add the passata, white wine and water to the tray. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
  • Turn your oven down to 170°C / 338°F and roast the pork belly in the sauce for at least 2 hours.
  • In the final half hour of the roasting process add two twigs of fresh rosemary to the top of the roast.
  • Skim the fat from the top of the sauce before serving.
  • Serve with anything you fancy. Fresh bread, a green salad or some rice.

Notes

Adapted from Jamie Oliver