Root Beer Pork Belly

I came back home late on a Sunday evening after walking around the whole day in about 90 degree heat. Needless to say, I didn't want to cook. Luckily I had some pork belly that I had marinaded 2 days back to save the day.

So I wanted to share one of my easy go to recipes for either when I have no time and want to whip together something in a jiffy or when I have a ton of time and want to pre-prepare everything I'll eat for the week.

I'm working with pork belly, which takes very little time to cook and marinade, but imparts a ton of flavor and soft texture because of the fat. Now I know some people think this maybe too fatty and won't eat pork belly. I have to confess, I can at times be one of those people who will eat the crispy part on top of the pork belly, the meat dispersed in the middle, and then cut out the layer of fat in between and discard it. (I can see a lot of pig connoisseurs drop their mouths right now - but yes, I do do it.) But I have to say, the meat on the pork belly is one of the best in terms of flavor and texture and sometimes, a little fat tastes kind of good.

Anyhow, it is good practice to allow for the meat to marinade at least for an hour before you put it in the oven. If I am really in a pinch, I poke a ton of wholes in the meat with the fork to let the marinade sink into the insides quicker.

A special note is that I used a special liquor called Root, and this stuff is amazing. It's what root beer actually used to be before the temperance movement, when the alcohol was removed from it. It's made from anise, birch bark, cloves, cardamom, and spearmint among other things and goes super well with pork.

Seasoned Pork Belly

Root Liquor

Marinate in Ziplock Bag

Ingredients - (2)1 pound pork belly, skin removed - 4 tablespoons Root liquor - 2 tablespoons salt - 2 tablespoons pepper - 1 tablespoon paprika - 2 tablespoon honey - 2 sprigs rosemary (chopped) - 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions 1. Rub pork belly with salt, pepper, and paprika, and rosemary. 2. Whisk liquor, 1 tablespoon honey, and oil together in a bowl. 3. Put meat into a sealable plastic bag and pour liquid into it. 4. Let meat sit for at least an hour. 5. Place into oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for 50  minutes to an hour. 6. Remove from oven, and while pork is still hot and resting, brush a thin layer of honey over the top for flavor and shine.