recipe / #braisedporkbellyrecipe

Sticky, sweet, fatty and unctuous! These pork belly "lollipops" are a decadent, perfect to ring in the new year, and great chased by a flute of Champagne. Consider serving with Paradise's Quark and Bacon Stuffed Deep-Fried Olives.

Pork Belly Lollipops

Makes 36-40 pieces

1 (3-pound) Fantasma's Finest Pork Belly

1 large yellow onion, cut into big chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 (2-inch piece of ginger, grated

Apple cider

1/2 jar Fantasma's Finest Apricot Preserves

Preheat the oven to 250° F. Place pork belly fat side up in a 9- by 13-inch oven baking dish. Add onions and garlic. Pour apple cider into dish about halfway to 3/4 of the way up the belly (don't cover completely). Cover dish with foil and bake for 6 hours.

Remove pork belly from the oven and allow to cool. Drain the juice and fat from the pan and return the pork belly to the baking dish. Place a piece of foil over the top and weight with heavy cans of food. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for the night.

Next Day

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a small saucepan, warm the apricot preserves over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

With a sharp knife, cut pork belly into 1- by 1-inch squares. Pour the warm preserves over the pork belly and brush evenly over the top. Place pork belly in the oven and rewarm for 15 minutes, or until the preserves are thick and bubbly.

Spear each pork belly square with a toothpick and keep warm until time to serve.

Asian Braised Pork Belly with Teriyaki Sauce

Makes 8 servings

1(3- to 5-pound) Fantasma's Finest Pork Belly

1 large yellow onion, big chucks

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1x2 inch ginger, grated

Apple juice

Soy sauce

Teriyaki sauce/marinade

Preheat oven to 250° F.

Place pork belly fat side up in oven baking dish. Cut onion into big chucks, add on top of and around pork belly. Add garlic and grate into the pan. Pour apple juice into dish about 3/4 of the way up the belly (don’t cover completely in juice). Splash soy sauce into dish

Cover dish completely with lid or foil. Place pan into oven and bake for 6 hours.

Remove from oven, uncover, and let pork belly cool.

Carefully pull belly from dish and move to a slotted and raised grate over a cookie sheet. Place another clean cookie sheet on top of pork belly and put something to add weight and put all in fridge overnight.

Next Day

Cut pork belly in half-lengthwise. Slice pork belly into 1 to 1 ¼-inch slices. Pour teriyaki sauce/marinade into bowl and get basting brush. Using a cast iron skillet, electric griddle, or grill, sear pork belly steaks to reheat while basting with teriyaki sauce to glaze.