Eric Ripert said that his last meal would be good bread and good butter. I think Jacques Pepin said the same. Both French. Coincidence? Maybe, but I can’t think of another American staple as ravaged as bread and butter. Like climbing Everest, it sits on the table and we eat it because it’s there; a fairly soulless habit. To eat bread and butter the real stuff, is life heightening, which is probably why those in the know a.k.a. a couple of French chefs would choose it for their final meal.
But this post is about pork belly, which would perhaps be my last meal. Not with fruity and saucy accompaniments, but as is: roasted or braised and crisped in a pan. A test of awesome food is if you crave it by itself, alone on the plate.
Here’s a recipe for roasted pork belly. Simple as that.
Roasted Pork Belly
Serves 6-8
5 pounds pork belly, skin on
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Score the skin in ½ inch strips. Rub with the oil and season well with salt and pepper.
- Roast ½ hour at 425 then reduce oven to 350 and roast another hour until done. If the skin isn’t crisping, crank up heat a bit. Rest 20 minutes or more, carve, and serve.
