Pork belly. - skin on or off

[lsboogy]

I'm thinking about trying to do a belly this afternoon - called butcher and he told me they have a few in and thinks I would like the skin off if I'm doing it in the oven. I have done a few sans skin over the years (how my brother in law always does them) but they tend to lack some of the crunch. I use a torch on the fat before I let them rest, but I'm wondering if a good chef could tell me how to better do one skin off.

I usually use a roasting pan, fennel, garlic, herbs - cook them in the pan with some oil, drop the belly in "skin" side down till it gets a nice brown, flip it and add chicken stock - back to boil and then into oven.

[Sean-in-AK]

You could always remove the skin to cook separately. Then you can use your familiar cooking method for the belly and fry slices of the skin to get some crunchy garnish.

I have done this a few times with extra chicken skins with great results.

[Jason H]

I’d vote for skin on. I live near a Chinese restaurant that cooks the belly Macau style with five spice and likely a touch of sugar and salt. The meat/fat melt in your mouth and the skin is very crispy. One of the best things I have ever eaten. It is ridiculous.

[cwillett]

If you leave the skin on, I think you're going to have difficulty getting it crispy like you would in a Chinese restaurant, even with with a torch, which is a concentrated but small heat source. A broiler probably would be better. A salamander even better. I leave skin on for cured products, skin off for braises. My stove isn't powerful enough to do the skin justice.