Braised Fresh Bacon Recipe
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds pork belly, skin on
- 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 leek, white part only, trimmed and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- About 3 cups brown chicken stock
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until the oil slides easily across the pan.
- Salt and pepper the pork, and add it, fat side down, to the skillet.
- Cook until the skin is browned, about 15 minutes, then transfer the pork to a plate.
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat and add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic to the skillet.
- Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
- Return the pork belly to the skillet, fat side up, and add about 2 cups of stock (it should surround but not cover the meat).
- Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Gently simmer the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour, then add another cup of stock.
- Continue cooking until the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 1 hour longer.
- Allow the pork to cool in the braising liquid.
- Remove the pork from the liquid, then gently lift off and discard the skin (use a small knife to separate any pieces that dont come away from the fat easily).
- Score the fat, making crosshatch incisions, then cut the pork into 4 equal pieces.
- Turn up the oven to 400 degrees F. Strain the braising liquid, discarding the solids.
- Return the liquid to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and skim off the fat.
- Return pork, fat side up, to the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook, without basting, until the pork is heated through and the fat nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
- Serve the pork in a shallow bowl moistened with a bit of the braising liquid.
peanut oil, kosher salt, pork belly, onion, carrots, celery stalks, only, garlic, brown chicken
Taken from www.chowhound.com/recipes/braised-fresh-bacon-10762 (may not work)