Apple Juice and Shiraz Braised Pork Belly and Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/4 Pork Belly

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup Onions Rough Chopped

1/4 cup Shallots Rough Chopped

4 cups Beef or Veal Stock

1 cup Shiraz

2 cups Apple Juice or Cider

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Bay leaves

4 Garlic Cloves Unpeeled

1 cup Carrots cut round about ½ inch long

1 cup Celery Sliced across grain about ½ inch thick

Salt and Pepper Blend (Coarse Ground 3-5 Pepper blended

1 tablespoon Corn Starch (Absorb in cold water before use!)

Preparation

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees Farenheit.

Liberally coat Pork Belly with Salt and Pepper Blend patting into flesh.

Heat Olive Oil to medium high in a frying pan without letting it smoke.

Place Pork Belly in Hot Oil and brown for 3 minutes on each of its 4 sides. (Be careful on the skin side as it may pop and spit oil at you, use a cover if necessary)

Remove Belly from Oil and place in Metal Oven Safe Dish (Dutch Oven is great)

Place Carrots, Celery and Bay leaves in the pot with the Belly.

Add Onions and shallots to the olive oil where you browned the Pork Belly; sauté till they begin to caramelize.

Deglaze the pan with the Apple Cider Vinegar by whisking it in the pan until all the bits and brownness come off of the hot pan.

Add the Stock, the Cider and the Wine to the pan and bring everything up to just below a boil.

Pour Liquid over the Pork Belly and vegetables till liquid comes just to the top of the pork. Cover with snug lid and place in oven at 300 degrees farenheit for 3 hrs.

When the Pork is finished in the oven, Remove the pot and place the pork in a foil lined baking dish then cover with more foil and place back in the oven on LOW!

Strain the liquid through a chinois or cheesecloth. Place back in pan and set on cook top on medium. Allow to reduce to a demi (Half its original volume).

Turn oven up to Broil and broil the pork belly till it is starting to crisp but not burning! Remove from oven.

Finally: Whisk in 1 tbsp cornstarch in cold water to the sauce as it slow boils till it begins to thicken(about 10 minutes). Plate the Pork Belly and drizzle some of the sauce over top and on the plate for effect and added flavor.

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About

This is Southern Comfort food at it's finest. Taking the fattiest layered portion of the pig and amplifying the flavor by searing and then slow cooking in complementary flavors makes Pork Belly a favorite of Southerners.

The flavors of a bold red wine and the sweetness of the apple juice and apple cider vinegar bring the pig to the front of the line.

Prepare to be amazed at how this simple savory dish falls apart on your tongue and brings a smile to your shiny lips.

You won't be able to eat too much though as it is richer than Donald Trump.