Pork belly crackling with a hot dipping sauce recipe

• 250 g (8.8oz) oak food-grade woodchips (never use chunks or pellets)
• 4 l (7pints) canola oil
• 1 kg (2.2lbs) pork belly, skin on, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 tbsp shichimi togarashi
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 200 g (7.1oz) long red fresno chillies
• 200 g (7.1oz) brown onions, halved
• 1 l (1.8pints) white vinegar
• 100 g (3.5oz) sea salt
• 100 g (3.5oz) garlic cloves
• 100 g (3.5oz) unsalted butter

1. To make the hot sauce: on a barbecue with a lid, lay out half the chillies and half the onions, leaving enough space to house a black cast-iron pan.
2. Place the empty cast-iron pan on the stovetop until ridiculously hot (roughly 5 minutes on full heat).
3. Meanwhile, in a 3 litre (105 fl oz/12 cup) stockpot, combine the remaining chillies and onions, the vinegar, sea salt and garlic.
4. Bring to a slow simmer, never allowing the mixture to boil.
5. When the cast-iron pan is at smelting temperature, cover the bottom with at least 1 cm ( 1/2 inch) of oak chips.
6. Leave until the chips start to smoulder and smoke (almost instantaneous) they should never ignite.
7. Move the cast-iron pan to the barbecue very carefully, then close the barbecue lid and leave to smoke.
8. If the chips are still smoking after a minimum of 20 minutes, let them go until theyre finished; but if theyre done, place the whole smoked vegetables in the simmering stockpot (which by now should have been bubbling away for 30 minutes).
9. Simmer for a further 30 minutes, ensuring the mixture never boils.
10. After 1 hour of total cooking, remove the stockpot from the heat.
11. Stir in the butter, then wrap the top of the hot container with plastic wrap to form a seal.
12. Leave at room temperature for 48 hours.
13. After 2 days, blend all the ingredients until theyre smooth enough to strain through a colander.
14. This should remove large chunks, leaving behind a fine pulp.
15. Transfer to sterile bottles or airtight containers and refrigerate until required; the sauce will easily keep for a week or two.
16. To make the crackling: pour the canola oil into a stockpot, leaving 15 cm (6 inches) between the top of the oil and the top of the pot.
17. Heat to 125C.
18. Slowly add the pork pieces, two or three at a time, until all are submerged.
19. Deep-fry for 2025 minutes, stirring very slowly every 5 minutes, so the pieces dont stick together.
20. Cook until golden brown and crispy, then remove using tongs or a spatula and drain on paper towel.
21. Increase the oil temperature to 200C.
22. Return the pork to the oil and cook for a further 5 minutes.
23. At this point, the skin will crackle and puff due to the higher temperature.
24. Drain again on paper towel.
25. Serve warm, with the shichimi togarashi and sea salt mixed together as a seasoning, and a small bowl of hot sauce.
26. Serving with fresh or grilled lemon or lime wedges will not be frowned upon.

pellets, pork belly, togarashi, salt, long red, brown onions, l, salt, garlic, butter

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/47628/pork-belly-crackling-with-a-hot-dipping-sauce-recipe (may not work)