Pork Belly

Almost as long as the loin, the belly provides rich and fatty meat. A boned and rolled Belly joint, roasted slowly over several hours until the fat has melted away, lubricating the meat in the process and producing the best crackling, is delightful. At the shoulder end of the belly sit the ribs.

The rib sheets can be cooked as whole racks or cut between the bones into individual meaty spare ribs, which are full of flavour, good value for money and always popular for barbecues. Cured pork belly makes streaky bacon, smoked or unsmoked or Virginia cured and the Italian version, Pancetta.