Fire Roasted Citrus Pork Belly - Perfect For Christmas

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Explore our chef’s best-kept Festive secrets, when you join us weekly for a tour of the finest wines and the best easy to make festive dishes.

 

Watch our Chef Preparing this Recipe

 
 

Let’s start with the Pork Belly

Ingredients

  • 3kg pork belly

  • 120g coarse salt

  • 1 lemon (zest)

  • 1 orange (zest)

  • 2 limes (zest)

  • 20g thyme

  • 3 tbsp. black pepper

  • 3 tbsp. coriander seeds

  • 5 cloves garlic

  • 4 bay leaves

Method

  1. Score the skin and rub the pork belly with all the ingredients and rest for 24 hours in the fridge. (get most of the salt on the skin and leave to rest skin side up).

  2. After 24 hours remove some of the excess leaves, undissolved salt and course spices, leaving most of the finer ones and citrus zest on.

  3. Over low fire and medium to low embers, cook the belly for 3-4 hours standing at an angle and turning often making sure the meat cooks evenly and very slowly. (Do not rush it).

  4. When the belly is cooked, we can puff the skin up by cooking it for about a minute or 2 over very hot coals.

For the Garnish

A Verjuice and herb marinated with Granny Smith apples and green peppers

Ingredients:

  • 2 green peppers, deseeded and quartered

  • 2 apples, cored and quartered

  • 1 cup verjuice

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 10g thyme

  • 1 sprig rosemary

  • 10g fennel

  • Zest of half a lemon

Method

  1. In a mixing bowl add verjuice, honey, herbs and zest and mix until the honey has dissolved. Add to a zip lock bag, add apples, peppers and marinated overnight in the fridge. 

  2. 5min before you crisp up your skin on the belly place fruit on the grill and cook for 1-2 min each side

Recommended Side Dishes

  • Bacon tossed Brussel sprouts

  • Traditional mash potato

  • Salad of tender stem broccoli, baby spinach and mustard vinaigrette

  • Roasted cabbage on the fire

The Winemakers’ Pick

Benguela Cove Catalina Semillon 2017, this wine is ethereal and commanding at the same time. It allures with complex aromas of sweet peas, lemongrass, quince, orange blossom, greenage, white lily and fynbos. All these nuances reveal a remarkable fruit purity that lingers on the palate, etched with an oyster shell minerality and integrated acidity.

Benguela Cove Syrah 2018, the wine entices with potpourri, cinnamon, pepper, hints of olive tapenade and a light perfume of sandalwood. Centre to that is a solid mid-palate with a rich yet fresh display of fruit set on tightly knit tannins to deliver a long, savoury finish. Nuances of rose petals and bitter-sweet liquorice linger to add that extra bit of character.

Joie de Vivre Bruit 2014, this MCC exhibits a vibrant intensity and revels in style and elegance. Aromas of nougat and brioche etch the delicious limy character. Lingering mineral tones complement the fine mousse, enhancing notes of red apple and nutty flavours on the palate.

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Winemakers Christmas Box

We offer pre-packed, award-winning wines delivered to your door complete with an easy-to-make Christmas recipe from Jean Delport, executive chef of Michelin Starred Restaurant Interlude.


Chanè Mackay

Marketing & Digital Media Manager at A24Group & Benguela Collection