Jamaican Jerk Pork Belly with Pickled Salad

This is the first time I’ve tried to make West Indian food and it has turned out pretty well! If you like a little kick to your food then Caribbean cuisine is certainly one to try. Its packed with lots of herbs, spices and hot Scotch Bonnet Chillies. This marinade will work just as well with chicken or fish. I have served it with a really fresh pickled salad just to cut through the richness of the pork. Recipe will serve 2. Just buy more pork if you are feeding more.

Jerk Marinade

1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves only
2 cinnamon sticks, roughly crushed
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 tbs black peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or just ground)
3 tsp allspice
6 garlic cloves
5 Scotch Bonnet chillies, seeds removed
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
2 limes, zest of 1 lime, juice of 2
2 tbs white wine vinegar
140ml/¼ pint olive oil
Good pinch of salt

650g Pork Belly Slices

For the Salad

2 finely sliced spring onions
5 radishes
2 banana Shallots
Cucumber
Pomegranate
2 tsp chopped mint
2 tbs white wine vinegar

Combine everything in a blender and mix until you have a paste. Test a little of the sauce and season again if required. I always like to leave a marinade for an hour or so in the fridge just to let the flavours develop but it will be better overnight.

You will have more than enough marinade for the pork but it should keep in the fridge if covered for a week.

1. Take 650g of sliced pork belly and place on a chopping board. Using a rolling pin or the heel of your hand and flatten the pork to about half the original thickness.

2. Place the pork in a bowl and add 2 tbs of the marinade. Massage in to the meat then cover with cling-film and place in the fridge for a minimum of a hour.

3. Pre Heat the oven to 140 degrees. Take the pork out of the fridge and then place on a baking tray. Don’t waste and of the marinade. Then place another tray over the top and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

4. Once the meat has cooked you will need to finish it off in a smoking hot griddle pan or frying pan if you don’t have one. Place a little oil in the pan then cook the pork for about a minute on both sides to give it some nice colour. The meat will need to rest for a couple of minutes so you have time to make the pickled salad.

Finely chop 2 spring onions then using a mandolin on a fine setting slice your cucumber, radish and shallots. Place them all in a bowl then add the mint and vinegar. Give it a good mix around. By the time the meat has rested the vinegar should have gently pickled the salad.

Arrange on the plate and finally scatter over some pomegranate seeds. Whack on some Bob Marley and definitely serve with some ice cold beer.

Enjoy!