Baked Pork Belly Slices with irresistibly crispy and golden potatoes baked underneath, the pork, soaking up all the smoky, citrusy flavors from the orange-mustard marinade.
This is one of those dishes that fills the whole house with a smell that draws everyone into the kitchen, asking when dinner will be ready. Pork belly slices, slowly baked with potatoes until everything turns golden, juicy, and impossibly flavorful -it's comfort food at its finest.
Table Of Contents
Baking Pork Belly Slices
Cooking pork belly slices in the oven or strips (the same thing) doesn't get them as crispy as frying does. However, they become deliciously sticky, draining their fat yet still remaining juicy and tender.
Another bonus is the delicious flavors they pick up from marinating. And if you want them more charred and extra browned, you can always finish them off using your oven's grill function. This will give them extra colour and crispness without sacrificing their juiciness.
The Potatoes
As for the potatoes, they're a mix of pillowy soft with crispy browned bottoms. This is achieved by boiling the potatoes on the stovetop for a couple of minutes before baking them with the pork belly.
This way, they absorb all the moisture they need, eliminating the need for extra water in the pan.
Also, the fat that drains from the pork belly strips on the potatoes makes them melow, golden, and crisp on the edges. Moreover, they get very crisp and caramelized on their bottom side —the one that touches the pan —by using a small trick of Jamie Oliver's and adding a small amount of red wine vinegar to the pan.
The Marinade
The pork belly slices marinade is a delicious mixture of mustard, orange, herbs, and spices (dried thyme + oregano, onion + garlic powder, ground coriander, and smoked paprika).
It's bold, with a touch of sweetness, herby notes, and a hint of smokiness. You can adjust its flavors a bit.
Marinade Ingredient Adjustments:
- If you don't like smoked paprika, use sweet paprika or spicy paprika.
- Substitute orange juice with lemon juice (using only 2 tablespoons), wine (4 tablespoons), or vinegar (2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar), or beer (4 tablespoons).
- Add sweetness: For a strong, sweet, and sour taste, consider using honey mustard instead of plain Dijon mustard. And even mix in a tablespoon of brown sugar or molasses (not very Greek, but very tasty).
How Long To Marinate?
Marinate the pork belly for at least 60 minutes. In fact, the longer you marinate it, the better it gets. You can marinate for up to 24 hours. Just make sure it's out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to baking. This way, it keeps juicy and moist.
How Long To Bake
How long to bake pork belly slices depends on two main things. One is how thick the pork belly slices are, and the second is the oven temperature/function.
Generally, pork belly slices are ½-inch (1½ cm) thick. And bake for about 40-45 minutes overall, turning them halfway. If yours are a bit thicker, bake them for a little longer, and vice versa.
If your oven is a bit strong (gas/fan), bake for a couple of minutes less. You can always check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should register 145°F / 63 °C. After this, you can switch the oven to broiler or grill function and give them a final roast.
What Temperature?
The ideal temperature to bake pork belly slices is 200°C / 390°F. At this temperature, the pork strips roast quickly. If you used a lower temperature, it would take longer to roast on top, and the meat would overcook and dry out.
Why not a higher temperature then? Because we also want to give it some time for the fat to drain off the meat (they do have a lot).
Reheating Leftovers
To reheat baked pork belly strips without making them dry, add a splash of water to a non-stick pan and cook over low heat for a few minutes on each side until hot again and all water is absorbed.
If you have leftover potatoes, add a splash of water to the baking pan (or dish), then cover it with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Reheat in the oven at 170°C / 340°F for about 15-20 minutes.
Microwave is not the best option for baked pork belly slices. However, you can always use that as well.
Serve With
Serve baked pork belly slices with a Crunchy Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata), some Tzatziki, Spicy Cheese Dip (Tirokafteri), or some Roasted Red Peppers.
Recipe
Baked Pork Belly Slices
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) pork belly slices (skinless) ½-inch (1½ cm) thick
- 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) potatoes peeled and cut into 2-2¼-inches (5-6 cm) pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- fine sea salt
- ground pepper
For The Marinade:
- 2 loaded tablespoons dijon mustard or honey mustard for a touch of sweetness
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Prepare The Marinade:
- Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the pork belly slices and rub the marinade on both sides.NOTE: If the pork belly slices are too thick and fatty, you can prick the fat with a fork to help the fat drain better once they bake.
- Marinate for about an hour at room temperature (see notes below).
Prepare The Potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C 400°F.
- Add the roasting pan to the oven to heat as well.
- Add the potatoes to a cooking pot. Season with salt and pour enough water to coat the potatoes.
- Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar to the hot pan. Shake the pan to spread.
- Transfer the potatoes to the pan using a slotted spoon.
- Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon dried oregano and season with ground pepper.
- Toss the garlic cloves in the pan.
- Lay the pork belly slices on top of the potatoes.
- Bake for 20 minutes on the second top rack of the oven, close to the heating element. No need to do this on a gas stove.
- Flip and bake for another 20-25 minutes until nicely roasted. You can switch to the broiler function to give it extra colour if necessary.
- Let the food stand for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If the room temperature is pretty warm, marinate the pork belly for 30 minutes in the fridge and then for another 30 minutes at room temperature.
Leave a Reply