Sticky Roast Pork Belly with Tomatoes & Olives

Pre-heat oven 200C. Using a thin bladed very sharp knife (a clean Stanley knife is ideal) score through the pork skin into the fat. The score lines should be about 5mm apart and run the length of the meat. Repeat on the underside.

Rub salt and pepper into both sides of the belly, rubbing the seasoning into the cracks. Place the meat skin side up sitting on top of the rib bones in a roasting tray. Sprinkle the skin with sunflower oil, then pop the meat under the grill. This removes any extra hairs in the rind and starts to crisp the skin.

The cuts in the rind will begin to open slightly when it is ready to roast. Add a small cup of water to the tray and cook for about 25 minutes then turn the oven down to 185C and cook for another hour. If the tray is filling with rendered fat from the meat, tip this off into a heatproof bowl and discard in the bin, NOT in the sink!

For the glaze, place the lime juice, sunflower oil, mirin, mustard, soy sauce and sugar into a small bowl and mix well.

Once the hour is up the pork skin should be crisp and golden. If it’s still limp pop the joint under a hot grill for a few minutes to crisp up. Be careful as the skin can burn easily. Remove the meat and tip off all of the remaining fat into a heatproof bowl.

Now pour the glaze over the meat and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or so.

Remove the tray from the oven and lift out the pork. Let the pork belly rest on a warm serving plate.

Set the roasting tin over a medium heat and let the remainder of the glaze in the tray reduce to a slightly sticky sauce then remove from the heat. Don’t over reduce the sauce at this point, as it will end up being too thick and salty.

Carve the pork belly down the score lines made earlier and arrange the meat on a warm plate.

To the sticky glaze add the stock, tomatoes and olives, mixing well. You want the sauce to end up with the consistency of light gravy. Stir in the basil leaves.

Tip the whole contents of the tray, over the sliced pork belly meat. Serve with new potatoes, or a simple salad.