Pork Belly, Roasting Joint

Artisan Pork Belly Joint is a whole roasting joint of high-welfare British pork belly. The belly is one of the most rewarding cuts on the pig. In particular, it carries generous layers of fat and meat that render and caramelise during long, slow cooking. As a result, the flesh becomes extraordinarily tender and juicy. Furthermore, the skin crisps to a shattering, golden crackling that is the defining achievement of a great British Sunday roast.

About Our Artisan British Pork

The pork offered by The Artisan Food Company comes from small, carefully selected British farms. These farms raise pigs slowly on natural diets, with space to roam and time to develop flavour. As a result, the pork has a depth and character that intensive commercial farming simply cannot produce. In particular, slower-grown pigs develop more intramuscular fat. This is the marbling that melts during cooking and produces a richly flavoured, juicy result. Furthermore, high-welfare farming produces pork that is noticeably darker in colour than supermarket pork. This deeper colour is an indicator of quality — it reflects a higher pH and a more developed flavour. However, the most important difference is simply in the eating. Once you have cooked properly reared artisan pork, it is very hard to go back to anything else.

British pork has a long and proud tradition. In contrast to many other countries, British pig farming has maintained a strong heritage breed culture. As a result, breeds such as Gloucester Old Spot, Tamworth, Large Black and Middle White are still actively farmed for their exceptional eating qualities. Additionally, our farms use feed programmes carefully tailored to each breed. This develops the fat coverage and marbling that make the difference at the table. Moreover, every joint is butchered to order by skilled hands and delivered chilled, ready to cook.

How to Cook & Serve

To get the very best from Artisan Pork Belly Joint:

• Score the skin deeply with a sharp knife and rub with fine sea salt — do this the day before if possible and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.
• Roast at 160°C for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is completely tender and yielding.
• Increase to 230°C for 20 to 25 minutes to blister the skin to a shattering, golden crackling.
• Rest for 15 minutes before slicing — use a sharp knife and cut through the crackling cleanly.

Perfect Pairings

Artisan Pork Belly Joint pairs beautifully with:

• Apple sauce or a cider and mustard gravy — the classic British accompaniment
• Roast potatoes and seasonal greens cooked in the rendered pork fat
• A glass of chilled Riesling, Chenin Blanc or a medium-bodied Pinot Noir
• Pickled red cabbage or sharp apple slaw to cut through the richness

Storage: Keep refrigerated and use by the date shown. Remove from packaging 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Allow to come to room temperature for even cooking. However, never leave uncovered at room temperature for more than 1 hour. Any leftover cooked pork keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Furthermore, leftover roast pork is excellent cold the following day.

However you cook it, Artisan Pork Belly Joint brings genuine artisan quality to the table. Moreover, properly reared British pork at its best is one of the great pleasures of the kitchen.