How Do I Prepare A Belly Of Pork For Slow Roasting?

Asked by epiphanytoo. Answered on 19th February 2024

Full question

I bought a belly of pork for the Slow Roast Pork Belly and I'd like to know how to get rid of the hairs that often remain on this cut of meat, despite a good butcher. Should I singe, torch or cut off some of the skin? Is this my butcher or just the nature of the beast (so to speak)? Few specialty butchers remain in my town of Chicago.

Slow Roast Pork Belly

By Nigella

Our answer

Nigella's Slow Roast Pork Belly from KITCHEN) marinates the meaty part of a pork belly in a combination of soy sauce, tahini and citrus juices and then cooks it slowly for 3½ hours until the meat is tender. The oven is then turned up to blast the skin for crisp crackling. If you are buying the belly from a butcher or meat counter then it is easiest to ask the butcher to remove any hairs before they score the skin.

If you are not able to do this and you feel that there are too many hairs for the pork to be appetizing, then you can remove the hairs before the skin is scored (it becomes rather difficult after the skin has been scored) either with a blow torch or cook's torch or with a knife or razor. If using a torch, make sure that you can do this safely. Scorch the hairs with the flame to singe them off. Keep the flame moving and don't have it too close to the skin, otherwise you will start to burn or blister the skin. Rub the skin with a damp, clean tea towel after, to remove any hairs stuck on the skin. You can use a knife or razor to remove the hairs (take care and scrape away from you and not towards), being careful not to break the skin. It can help to pour a kettle of boiling water over the skin first, to help soften the hairs. Wipe the skin with a damp, clean tea towel afterwards.