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Meltingly Tender Pork Belly: A Secret Recipe from a Spanish Butcher
In a quiet corner of northern Spain, nestled between sun-soaked vineyards and sleepy olive groves, there’s a small butcher shop where tradition hasn’t just survived—it’s thrived. Known only to locals and a few lucky travelers, the shop holds a secret passed down through generations: a pork belly recipe so rich, tender, and flavorful it borders on mythical. Today, that secret is being shared.
A Butcher’s Legacy
The butcher, Don Emilio, has been perfecting his pork belly technique for over 40 years. Inspired by age-old Spanish methods and the simplicity of rustic cooking, his approach is low on fuss but high on flavor. “You don’t need fancy ingredients,” he once said. “You need time, respect for the meat, and good olive oil.”
What makes this dish unforgettable isn’t just the crackling skin or the melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s the balance—savory, slightly sweet, deeply aromatic, and infused with the essence of the Spanish countryside.
The Ingredients
To replicate Don Emilio’s pork belly at home, you’ll need:
- 1.5–2 kg (3–4 lbs) pork belly, skin on
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary
Optional but recommended:
- 1 tbsp honey for a subtle glaze
- 1 small onion, sliced thick for roasting bed
