A piece of boneless pork belly, with loin still attached, skin scored (ours weighed 4kg)
2 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
12 cloves garlic
20g bunch rosemary, leaves picked
20g bunch thyme, leaves picked
2 tbsp white wine
Steps
Get the pork assembled the day before you want to cook.
Lay the piece of pork out on a work surface, skin side down.
Cut the loin in half to flatten it out, making sure you keep it all attached to the belly. What you want is a rectangle of pork belly, all roughly the same thickness, but with the added meaty centre the loin offers. Score the flesh all over, so your stuffing can get right into the crevices. Alternatively you can ask your butcher to do this for you.
In a small pan over a medium heat, toast the fennel seeds and chilli flakes for about a minute until lightly toasted and fragrant. Tip into a bowl. Finely chop the garlic cloves and rosemary and thyme leaves then add to the bowl along with the white wine. Give everything a good mix, then scatter over your pork, rubbing everything in evenly. Season really generously.
Roll the belly up tightly with the loin remaining in the centre of the roll, and the skin all over the outside. Trim any skin away that may get rolled inside as this will not crisp up and will be unpleasant to eat.
Tie up tightly with butchers string at about 5cm intervals, and leave to sit uncovered in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.
The next day, and when ready to cook pre-heat the oven to 160c.
Pat the meat as dry as possible with kitchen paper and put on a rack in a roasting tray. Roast for 3 ½ hours, then turn the oven up as high as it will go and roast for another 30 minutes, or until the crackling is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered for 30 minutes before carving.
