Confit Pork Belly

Instructions

1. Place a small non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add fennel seeds, juniper berries, bay leaves and star anise pods. Gently toast spices until fragrant. Remove from heat, transfer to a blender and blend until ground fine.
2. Combine ground spices with salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. Place pork belly fat-side up on a cutting board. Using a knife, score fat diagonally on each side so the cuts make a diamond pattern. Place into a pan or dish and using all seasoned salt and sugar mixture, evenly coat entire pork belly.
3. Cover pork and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. After 48 hours, preheat oven to 225F.
4. Rinse pork belly under cold water to remove all salt mixture. Pat dry and place in a deep roasting pan or pot. Add enough olive oil to just barely submerge pork. Cover with foil or lid and cook for 4 hours.
5. After 4 hours, remove from oven and cool at least 1 hour. (discard oil). For serving simply cut pork belly in half then evenly slice thin or thick pieces and sear each piece in a hot skillet until crispy on each side.
6. Chef's Note: For best results, once pork has cooled to room temp and been removed from oil refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow fat to solidify before cutting and searing pieces.