PORK BELLY WITH CHIMICHURRI

SERVES 8 / PREPARATION 10 MINUTES PLUS 1 HOUR SALTING TIME / COOKING 8 HOURS

It’s the time around the fire that makes this special, as it does what food does best – brings people together. Great in your backyard or when you are camping, so pull up a chair and grab a beer for eight hours of primal human interaction.

This pork belly can be used in sandos, tacos or salads, but I like to serve it in summer smothered in chimichurri. 3 tablespoons flaky salt

2 tablespoons dried thyme

1 organic skin-on, bone-out pork belly

Mix the salt and thyme, rub into the belly and let it stand at room temperature for an hour.

While this is happening make sure you have glowing embers in your fire with no orange flame. If you need to stoke the fire, add charcoal rather than wood which avoids temperature spikes. Also stay away from briquettes as they don’t give as good a flavour.

Place the pork belly approximately 40-60cm above the embers, skin-side down. It will take about 8 hours to slowly cook over the fire, during which time the belly will take on the beautiful, nuanced flavours of the fire. Gently slide the belly to prevent the skin from sticking. After about 6 hours, start to be very gentle with the way you move the pork around, as the fats melt and help develop the crackling (the pork cooks skin-side down for the whole time). You can check the doneness by pinching the exposed flesh and pulling it – when the flesh pulls away it’s ready. While it is unnecessary, I like to give it a little flash of fire on the flesh side at the end for 15 minutes, lowered closer to the fire.

Slice into portions against the grain of the muscles in the belly. But before you do this, make a video for social media of the sound of a spoon rubbing on the crispy skin. It’s incredible! Serve with 1 cup of chimichurri.