Canal House's Pork Belly with Gingery Rhubarb Compote
Genius Recipes
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 6
The secrets to releasing pork belly's magic don't require any special machinery or a food handler's certificate -- they're techniques you already know, or can learn on the fly. You won't be able to whip this up on a whim, but there's not much expected of you, other than patience. Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit.
Ingredients
Pork Belly
- 3 pound pork belly, skin removed, fat intact
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings
- 1 cup dry white wine
Gingery Rhubarb Compote
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed, sliced 1/2-inch thick
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Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Using a sharp knife, score pork belly fat in a crosshatch pattern at about 3/4-inch intervals, taking care not to cut into meat.
- Step 2
Mix thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub thyme mixture on both sides of pork. Place pork in a large resealable plastic bag, seal bag, and chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
- Step 3
Preheat oven to 250°. Arrange onion in bottom of a large heavy pot with a lid. Rinse pork and place fat side up on top of onion; add wine.
- Step 4
Cover pot; place in oven and braise pork, basting occasionally, until fork-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Increase oven temperature to 400°. Uncover pot and cook until meat is very tender and fat is crisp and golden brown, about 1 hour longer. If the onions are starting to get dark before the pork, add a bit more wine.
- Step 5
To make compote: Combine brown sugar, raisins, vinegar, ginger, capers, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Step 6
Add rhubarb to skillet and stir to coat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until rhubarb is tender and liquid is syrupy, about 15 minutes.
- Step 7
Note: Compote can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat before using.
- Step 8
Slice pork and serve with Gingery Rhubarb Compote.