Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

For Skin-On Pork Belly: Pat skin dry with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, score through skin every 1/2-inch at a diagonal, cutting through skin and into fat, but not so deep that you hit meat. Repeat cutting in an opposite diagonal to create a diamond shape pattern. (See recipe note #1)

For Skinless Pork Belly: Move on to the next step.

Season pork belly with salt sugar and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Roast pork belly for 30 minutes on the middle rack in a heavy, oven-safe pan or skillet, skin side up / fat side up. Reduce heat to 275°F and roast for an hour or more, until tender but not mushy. (Larger pieces of pork belly will take longer. Our one-pound belly was done after an hour at 275°F.)

To Serve as Crispy Slices (Momofuku-Style): Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate until chilled through – at least a few hours and up to 2 days. Once chilled, slice into thick pieces and brown in a skillet on the stovetop until crisp. Enjoy alone or in soups, salads, pasta sauces, ramen and more!

To Serve as a Roast (Skin-On Alternative): Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing. (See recipe note #2)