Dinner: Roasted Pork Belly with Gingery Rhubarb Compote

Recipe by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer The belly's thick layer of fat keeps the pork tender as it cooks. It's cooked low and slow to ensure the meat is tender, then crisped up over high heat.

Ingredients

3 pounds pork belly, skin removed, fat intact
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2" rings
1 cup dry white wine
Gingery Rhubarb Compote

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, score pork belly fat in a crosshatch pattern at about 3/4" intervals, taking care not to cut into meat.
Mix thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub thyme mixture on both sides of pork. Place pork in a large resealable plastic bag, seal bag, and chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 250 °F. Arrange onion in bottom of a large heavy pot with a lid. Rinse pork and place fat side up on top of onion; add wine.
Cover pot; place in oven and braise pork, basting occasionally, until fork-tender, 2 1/2-3 hours. Increase oven temperature to 400 °F. Uncover pot and cook until meat is very tender and fat is crisp and golden brown, about 1 hour longer.
Slice pork and serve with Gingery Rhubarb Compote.
DO AHEAD: Pork belly can be made 2 days ahead (do not slice). Let cool slightly, then chill uncovered until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Reheat until hot and fat is crisp, 20-30 minutes.

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