Pork belly is just downright delicious. It’s crispy. It’s greasy. And, it has a ton of flavor. Pork Belly is basically just uncut bacon that still has the pork skin attached. Ask your butcher for this cut. The key to this dish is crisping the skin.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork belly
• 3 tablespoons Kosher salt
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons bourbon
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Score the skin of the pork belly using a sharp knife. Cut just through the skin in a crisscross pattern and sprinkle with salt.
2. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup and bourbon. Pour liquid into a rimmed dish just large enough to hold the pork belly and then place the pork belly into the dish, skin-side up.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or better, overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 250°F. Remove pork belly from refrigerator and rub off excess salt.
4. Place pork belly onto a baking rack over a rimmed tray. Roast for 6 hours. When done, remove from oven. Let cool slightly.
5. Cut meat into 1” squares.
6. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium heat (use the reserved fat plus vegetable oil to make up the rest if necessary.) Once oil is just smoking, place pork belly skin side down and cook until the skin crackles and becomes very crisp.
7. Serve warm.