Coast & Hearth
Herb-Roasted Pork Belly with Wild Fennel and Braised Bulbs
This dish celebrates the marriage of succulent, slow-roasted pork with the aromatic brightness of wild fennel and crisp garden vegetables. Balanced by a sharp green apple salsa and cider-braised fennel bulbs, it offers a sophisticated play on textures and herbal notes.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 745 kcal
Method
Prepare the pork by scoring the skin in 1cm intervals using a very sharp knife or a clean craft blade, being careful not to cut into the meat. Rub a generous amount of sea salt into the scores and leave the pork uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, to dry out the skin.
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Pat the skin dry with paper towels to remove any moisture. Flip the pork over and rub the meat side with the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, chopped rosemary, and sage.
Place the fennel bulb wedges in a heavy-bottomed roasting tray and pour in the apple cider. Position the pork belly on top of the fennel bulbs, skin-side up. Roast for 2.5 hours until the meat is tender.
Increase the oven temperature to 230°C (450°F). Roast for a further 20-30 minutes, watching closely, until the skin has puffed into a crisp, golden crackling. If the skin is stubborn, you can finish it under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes, but do not leave it unattended.
While the pork rests for 15 minutes, prepare the salsa by mixing the diced apples, chopped wild fennel fronds, cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
Slice the pork along the scores. Serve each portion with the cider-braised fennel bulbs and a generous spoonful of the apple and fennel salsa to cut through the richness.
Notes
Dry skin is the secret to crackling; the longer you leave the pork uncovered in the fridge, the better the crunch.
If wild fennel is unavailable, use the green fronds from the top of regular fennel bulbs mixed with a little fresh dill.
Ensure the liquid (cider) in the tray does not touch the pork skin during roasting, as steam will prevent it from crisping.
Use a serrated bread knife to slice the finished pork belly; it saws through the crackling without crushing the tender meat.
