Cured Pork Belly Lechon

1. 1

   Combine the salt, sugar and dry spices to make the dry rub. The amounts are approximate, except the salt:sugar ratio should be 3:2. Anything else goes. Look around the web for different dry rub recipes and pick your favorite.

2. 2

   Rub the pork belly liberally with the rub. Place it in a covered container, skin side up, and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

3. 3

   Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg F. Slice the veggies into large chunks and put them into a baking dish just big enough to hold the meat.

4. 4

   Rinse the salt off the meat, pat the meat dry with paper towels, then place the meat skin side up on top of the veggies. If you have to cut it into two or three pieces to get it to fit the dish, that's okay. You ideally want a lid of meat on top of the veggies to hold moisture in.

5. 5

   Use a sharp knife to poke holes in the skin to let the fat render out. Try not to cut all the way through the fat beneath the skin, as the meat will release moisture and make it harder for the skin to get crispy.

6. 6

   Bake uncovered on the middle rack of the oven for about one and a half hours.

7. 7

   Crank the oven up to 450 degrees F.

8. 8

   After about 20 minutes, start checking the meat every 10 or 15 minutes by tapping the skin with a knife or spoon. When the skin sounds 'hard', that means it's nice and crispy and the dish is done.

9. 9

   Take the dish out of the oven and let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes before chopping into bite sized pieces with a meat cleaver or large butcher knife.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.