Braised Pork Belly with Mole Sauce, Bok Choy and Cauliflower Mash

Pork Belly.  Do I even need to say more than that?  Savory, indulgent, buttery pork belly.  I was incredibly nervous to take my first crack at this beautiful cut of meat.  I have to admit that I have never attempted.  But, as part of this wonderful, exploratory food journey I have decided to embark on, I simply went for it.  And, as with many things, if you put behind you your fears and simply go for what you want, it is usually worth it.  

A little dramatic for pork, I know, but applicable nonetheless and I absolutely do not regret making up this recipe.  While I plan to continue to improve upon it and see what other versions I can make, I am pretty proud of this dish and hope you enjoy it as well.  As many of you may have noticed, pork belly has become a staple on many a restaurant’s menu and every time I see it, I have to order it to see what variations others have chosen  –  it is always my favorite part of my meal.

Back to my pork belly – I knew from experience that I really liked pork belly with some heat, so I chose to make a version of a mole sauce.  I didn’t want it too spicy and I didn’t want to turn this into a full out Mexican dish, so I made my own version of it; taking bits and pieces from traditional mole sauces.  I knew I wanted a bit of heat (dried Ancho chiles) and chocolate (100% cacoa)…. and I knew I wanted the pork simple, clean, and buttery.  That was my starting point…. this is where I went with it:

Aaaaah beautiful pork belly.  Don’t be afraid to try it – as an added benefit, beyond be delicious, it is really not very expensive.  I purchased 1.5 pounds and it costed approx. $8.00 or so.

I put a rub on it of toasted coriander, fennel, salt and pepper and let it sit overnight, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.  Then bring a skillet or saucepan to med-high heat along with some grapeseed oil.  Sear the pork belly on all sides.  Place in a Dutch Oven or other stove-worthy pan.  Pour in chicken or pork stock along with vegetables and herbs.

Leave in the oven at 300 degrees for 2-3 hours; then remove from pan and let cool in fridge. Letting it cool will allow you to cut it and not have it fall apart.  Once you cut it into your desired-sized pieces, sear again on all sides on med-high heat and serve immediately.

While the pork belly was in the oven, I meddling with my mole sauce.

And then, somewhat at the last second, braising bok choy and boiling and blending the cauliflower mash.

The finished product.

Yes.  It was amazing.  But this will definitely NOT be the last time I make pork belly.  Stay tuned for second, third, fourth…. well a lot of pork belly recipes.  I hope you enjoy and I hope you decide to “wow” your family, significant other, your whoever – go for it.

Don’t forget to check out my Instagram account for some behind-the-scenes action! Or give me a follow on Facebook or see what I am pinning on Pinterest!

Love,

E

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Over the next few days I will be adding additional posts with the recipes for the mole sauce, bok choy and cauliflower mash……stay tuned!