INGREDIENTS
- 1-1.5 kg whole piece of BELLY (not Iberian pork belly, which has a lot of fat)
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Fennel seeds
- 5 Cardamom seeds
- 1 Glass Cardenal Mendoza
- 1 Regent Palo Cortado Glass
- 1/2 Chicken or beef broth
Cut the skin of the bacon into diamonds (as in the photo) and salt it on both sides and especially along the cuts and add the fennel seeds in the same way.
Put the roughly chopped onion and garlic in a pan with a little oil (a large pan that can be oven-safe is best). Add the fennel seeds and the cardamom seeds, slightly crushed. When the oil is hot, brown the pancetta on both sides. Once the pancetta is browned, pour the glass of… Cardenal Mendoza and once the alcohol has evaporated, the glass of Palo Cortado and then the chicken broth.
Once it starts to boil, place it in the oven at 170°C (340°F) for 2 hours and 15 minutes, turning the meat over occasionally. If the sauce dries out, you can add stock or brandy. Cardenal Mendoza according to the cook’s preference.
Prepare a small barbecue to finish the roast and give it a smoky touch. If the barbecue is oven-type (with a lid), leave it for 35 minutes; if not, leave the pork belly until the skin is crispy. In both cases, turn the piece over occasionally.
Without a barbecue, put the oven on grill and leave it until the skin is toasted and the bacon is a dark golden color, be careful not to burn it!
The remaining sauce from the baking tray is strained and placed in a gravy boat.
It is important to let the meat rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
