Pork Belly Tacos

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C).

Lightly score the pork belly by making gentle slices using the tip of your knife at a diagonal across the top of the belly.

In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin. Rub the mixture evenly on the top and bottom of the belly. Wrap the belly in foil twice.

Place the wrapped belly in a roasting pan and cook for 6 hours. The pork should be fork tender at this point, but if it's not, pop it back in the oven and cook for 30 to 60 minutes more.

Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it cool in its wrappings for 2 hours. Place, still wrapped, in the refrigerator and chill for 6 to 10 hours. It is best to let it chill overnight.

Remove the pork from the fridge, unwrap it, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Gently pat dry, then cut it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) strips, then into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes.

In a medium to large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil. Wait 6 minutes to make sure the oil is hot, then sauté the cubed pork in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed for each subsequent batch. You can reduce the temperature to avoid burning, if needed. Remove from the oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Nestle into tortillas and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Top with your favorite taco fixins and devour.

Mains