Crispy Pork Belly with Braised Beans

This is how pork belly should be done. Proper crackling on top, tender meat underneath, and a tray of braised beans that soak up all that flavour. It’s simple, it’s honest, and when you get the crackling right, it’s hard to beat.

Ingredients

• 200g cannellini beans
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, quartered
• Peel of ½ lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1kg pork belly, skin scored
• 4 long shallots, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 800ml chicken stock
• 2 tsp fennel seeds

Method

1. Unwrap the pork belly and score the skin with a sharp knife. Season the skin generously with salt, making sure it gets into the cuts.
2. Place the pork uncovered in the fridge overnight to help dry out the skin for better crackling.
3. Preheat your oven to 220°C. Take the pork out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Pat the skin dry, drizzle with olive oil and rub it evenly over the surface.
5. Place onto a roasting tray and cook for 1 hour, or until the skin starts to blister and crisp.

6. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.
7. Add the drained cannellini beans around the pork, keeping the skin exposed. Add garlic, fennel seeds, bay leaves, shallots, lemon peel and lemon quarters.
8. Pour in the chicken stock around the pork, avoiding the skin.
9. Return to the oven and cook for a further 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and the beans are soft and flavourful.
10. Rest the pork for 10 minutes before slicing.
11. Serve with the beans and shallots.

Serves: 2–3
Prep time: 15 minutes (+ overnight drying)
Cook time: 2–2.5 hours

Getting perfect pork crackling

If you want to get the most out of this recipe, especially the crackling, take a look at our guide to perfect pork crackling. It breaks down exactly what makes it work every time.

More ways to cook pork

If you’re cooking more pork at home, our pork scotch fillet pulled pork recipe is another reliable option. It’s slow cooked until tender and perfect for easy meals across the week.