Braised Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Prep and Brown

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the smoked pork belly dry and score the skin or fat lightly in a crosshatch if present. Heat neutral oil in a heavy ovenproof braising pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork belly on all sides until golden (2–4 minutes per side) to render some fat and develop color. Remove and set aside.

Build Braising Liquid

In the same pan, add sliced onion, carrot, celery and smashed garlic. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir to deglaze. Pour in white wine and simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly, scraping up browned bits. Add stock, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Return pork belly to the pan, fat side up; liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the meat — add a bit more stock or water if necessary.

Braise

Cover pan with a tight-fitting lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Braise until fork-tender, about 2 to 2.5 hours depending on thickness. Check at 90 minutes to ensure liquid remains; add a little more stock if needed.

Reduce and Rest

Remove pork belly from the braising liquid and tent with foil to rest. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract flavor. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half until slightly syrupy (about 8–12 minutes). Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If you prefer crisp skin/fat, place pork belly under a broiler or in a hot skillet for 3–5 minutes to crisp the exterior before slicing.

Slice

Slice the rested pork belly into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Keep warm while finishing sauces and slaw.

Combine the julienned jicama, mango, red bell pepper, red onion and chopped cilantro in a bowl. In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and black pepper. Pour dressing over the slaw and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill for 15–20 minutes to let flavors marry, or serve immediately for more crunch.

Toast & Rehydrate Chiles

Remove stems and seeds from ancho and guajillo chiles. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast chiles briefly until fragrant (about 30–45 seconds per side) — do not burn. Place toasted chiles in warm water to rehydrate for 15 minutes, then drain (reserve some soaking liquid).

Roast Aromatics

Roast the tomato, garlic cloves and half onion under a broiler or in a hot skillet until charred on the skin. Peel tomato if needed and roughly chop together with roasted garlic and onion.

Blend

In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, roasted tomato/garlic/onion, toasted almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, raisins/prunes, cumin, cinnamon and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock (add reserved chile soaking liquid as needed). Blend until very smooth, adding more stock to reach a thick sauce consistency.

Simmer & Finish

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the blended mole and simmer gently for 8–12 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add chopped dark chocolate and stir until melted and incorporated. Season with 1 tsp salt and adjust to taste. If sauce is too thick, thin with additional stock. Keep warm.

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, aji panca paste, lime juice, minced garlic and olive oil until smooth. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or heat. Chill until ready to serve.

Place sliced pork belly on a warmed platter. Spoon a generous drizzle of warm mole sauce on and around the pork. Add a few tablespoons of jicama mango slaw alongside or on top for brightness and crunch. Dot or streak aji panca aioli over the pork and slaw. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, microgreens or sliced scallions and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Serve immediately.