Braised Pork Belly With Creamy Grits

• 3 pounds pork belly skin removed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup clarified butter OR grapeseed oil
• 1 bottle pinot noir or other red wine
• 4 cups veal stock OR vegetable stock, 32 ounces
• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
• 1 rib celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 ounce fresh thyme leaves
• 6 teaspoons honey light flavored, such as alfalfa
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white grits OR yellow grits or polenta, not instant
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a very sharp knife, carefully split pork belly crosswise in half. Season both sides of both pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Look for pork bellies at Asian or Hispanic markets or order them online if your supermarket or butcher shop does not carry them.
2. For a cook who does not want to make their own clarified butter, use grapeseed oil because it too has a high smoke point and bland in flavor. Heat 2 tablespoons clarified butter in a large heavy skillet or 6-quart braiser pan. Add one pork belly piece, fat side down. Cook until fat is nicely brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn pork belly piece over and brown the other side. Transfer pork belly to a plate; discard fat in skillet or pan. Repeat browning with remaining 2 tablespoons clarified butter and pork belly piece. Discard fat from skillet or pan.
3. With skillet or braiser pan away from heat, add 1/3 cup wine. Return skillet or pan to heat and cook over low heat, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan; remove from heat. If using braiser pan, return pork belly pieces to pan. If using skillet, pour liquid from skillet into a 6-quart Dutch oven and add pork. To the pork, add remaining wine, stock, onion, celery, carrot and thyme. Bring to boil and cover tightly
4. Bake in preheated oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove and let pork belly cool completely. Reserve braising liquid.
5. Portion pork belly into 3 ounce to 4 ounce rectangle pieces. Place belly pieces in a large skillet or braising pan with enough of the braising liquid to cover.
6. Reheat on stove top over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F.
7. Creamy grits: Bring heavy cream and water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly stir in grits. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until fully cooked. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
8. Serving Suggestions: Serve pork belly portions over a small mound of grits and drizzle with honey. If desired, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons hot strained braising liquid and garnish with snipped thyme.

pork belly skin removed, salt, freshly ground pepper, clarified butter, red wine, veal stock, onion, celery, carrot, thyme, honey, heavy cream, water, white grits, salt, white pepper

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Braised-Pork-Belly-with-Creamy-Grits-2160335 (may not work)