Slow-Roasted Pork Belly by Pavel Berky

MARINATING INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Pour water into a pot, add all other ingredients except the meat, and bring to a boil. Then let the brine cool completely.
• 2
  Place the pork belly in a deeper baking dish, skin side down. Pour the brine over it so that it is completely submerged. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate to marinate for 24 hours. If you have the opportunity and time, let the pork belly marinate for two days. The flavor will be much more pronounced and delicious.

ROASTING INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Remove the marinated pork belly from the brine, rinse it lightly under cold running water, and dry it with a paper kitchen towel. Score the skin in a crisscross pattern.
• 2
  Peel the garlic and place it in a mortar. Add a generous pinch of salt and make a paste. Then mix it with sweet and smoked paprika and add a bit of water to create a thinner paste-like consistency. Rub it all over the pork belly and place it in a clean baking dish, skin side up. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• 3
  Preheat the oven to 90°C and roast the pork belly for at least 6 hours until it is completely tender. After 6 hours, check if the pork belly is soft. Insert a skewer into the side of the meat, and if it smoothly goes through the entire width, it's done. If not, roast for another hour or as needed.
• 4
  After roasting, remove the pork belly from the oven. Heat oil in a saucepan to around 180°C. Using a ladle, pour the hot oil over the skin to render it.