Pork Belly Boiled in Onion Skins

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you boil pork belly in onion skins? Gather everything you need. Onion skins are very light, almost weightless, so 1–2 handfuls are enough. The more onion skins you use, the richer the color of the finished belly will be.

2. Step 2:

   

   Choose a belly with plenty of meat. Mine had a perfect layering of meat and fat. Rinse the belly under running water and cut it into 2–3 pieces, sized to fit your pot.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse the onion skins several times in water to wash off any dust that may have been on the onions. Choose a dark pot for cooking, since onion skins are very hard to scrub out of a light-colored one. Put the onion skins in the pot and cover with cold water. Add salt and peppercorns. Set the pot on the heat and bring to a boil.

4. Step 4:

   

   Peel the garlic and cut it into pieces. Add the chopped garlic to the pot.

5. Step 5:

   

   Then place the prepared belly into the onion broth and return it to the heat. The belly should be fully submerged in the water; add a bit more if needed. We lower the belly into boiling water so that the juices stay in the meat rather than leaching into the broth — the hot water "seals" the meat right away. Bring everything to a boil and cook over low heat for 1–1.5 hours. The cooking time depends on the size of the pieces.

6. Step 6:

   

   Leave the finished belly to cool in the onion broth. Then lift the cooled belly onto a paper towel to blot away excess moisture. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

7. Step 7:

   

   The pork belly is ready! It comes out with an appetizing color and flavor. You can serve it on a holiday table as a meat appetizer, or just use it to make sandwiches. Enjoy!