Ran across this in the local paper. I almost spit my morning coffee on my monitor. Pay attention to the first two ingredients.

Crisp Pork Belly on Cheddar Crackers

Makes: 8 to 10 servings.

• 2 to 3 pounds fresh pork belly

• 4 tablespoons kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced

• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced

• 1 stalk celery, sliced

• About 3 to 4 cups apple juice or fresh apple cider

• 1 to 2 cups chicken stock or water

• Strawberry jam

• Cheddar-mustard crackers (see recipe)

Mix the salt, sugar, pepper, ginger, garlic, rosemary, thyme and sage. Rub all over the pork belly, coating it well. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Unwrap the pork and rinse off the seasoning mix, then dry with paper towels.

Place the pork, sliced onions, carrots and celery in a roasting pan large enough to hold the pork. Add enough apple juice or cider to come halfway up the pork. Add enough stock or water to come 3/4 of the way up the meat. Cover the meat with parchment paper, then cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty foil and a lid.

Place in the oven and cook about 6 hours, or until very tender. Line a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Carefully remove the pork belly from the cooking liquid, lifting from the bottom with a couple of spatulas so it doesn't fall apart. Place it on the paper-lined pan, and place another sheet of parchment on top. Place another pan on top, then weigh it down with several pounds (such as heavy cans).

Refrigerate overnight. (The cooking liquid can be strained and used for another recipe, such as soup.) Remove from refrigerator, remove weights and peel off the paper. (Can be made to this point up to 4 days ahead. Refrigerate until ready to serve.)

Slice the firm pork belly into 1-by-2-inch cubes. Place in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear, turning carefully with tongs, until browned and crisped on all sides. Serve on a cheddar cracker with a dab of jam.

Joseph Bonaparte of the Art Institute of Charlotte

Kosher salt, not just for the Jewish anymore.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I was visiting my sister a couple of years ago. I always get up early so I made a fresh batch of coffee. Poured a cup and looked for the sugar, saw "some" next to the stove in a bowl so I put in 2 spoons, had a sip and ran to the sink. It wasn't sugar it was kosher salt , I did spit it out !

Kosher Salt. The other white condiment.

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I think I'd rather consume the residue caked on the bottom of my 114's oil pan than that... um... combination. I love me some ham, but why would someone spend so much time just to ruin a perfectly good tasting pig?

urp....

Kosher Salt refers to the size of the grind not specificly jewish. Kosher salt has a larger grain to it so when you use it as a coating in cooking it does not soak in as much.

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

All you're doing is curing it and making it bacon.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Yup, I know that. They coulda said "coarse ground sea salt" but then the irony wouldn't be quite so poignant!