Crispy Pork Belly Bites with Kimchi Relish

These crispy pork belly bites take everything good about slow-braised pork belly

and make it snackable. Braise it until tender, cube it, steep it in Frenchmaid Kimchi Relish, then fry it hard for a proper crunch. The relish cuts through the richness with a sharp, tangy kick, and green apple and pear keep each mouthful fresh.

How this one started

We knew Kimchi Relish worked on burgers and rice bowls, so we sent a jar to Chef Jesper Gustafsson and asked him to push it further. He spent the night testing ideas beyond the obvious, and these pork belly bites were one of the standouts.

Serves: 2

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus 15 minutes to steep)

Ingredients

• 500g pork belly

• 100ml Frenchmaid Kimchi Relish, for simmering, plus 2 tbsp for tossing and extra to serve

• 1 green apple, finely diced

• 1 pear, finely diced

• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

• ½ cucumber, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt, for pickling the cucumber

• 150g cornflour

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Canola oil, for deep frying

  
  

Equipment

• Deep roasting tray

• Baking paper

• Aluminium foil

• Deep fryer

  
  

Method

1. Braise the pork belly

Rub the pork belly with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place it in a deep roasting tray lined with baking paper. Add water to come halfway up the pork, lay a second sheet of baking paper on top and seal the tray tightly with foil. Bake at 175°C for 1 hour 45 minutes.

2. Pickle the cucumber

While the pork bakes, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Add the sliced cucumber and toss to coat. Leave to pickle for at least 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

3. Simmer in Kimchi Relish

Cut the pork into roughly 2.5cm cubes. Add to a pot with the Kimchi Relish, bring to a simmer, then take off the heat. Cover and leave for 15 minutes to take on the flavour.

4. Coat and fry

Heat the fryer to 175°C. Coat the pork in cornflour and fry for about 3 minutes, until crisp.

5. Toss

In a mixing bowl, toss the hot pork with 2 tbsp Kimchi Relish, a drizzle of olive oil, and the diced apple, pear and parsley.

6. Plate

Serve with the pickled cucumber and extra Kimchi Relish on the side.

Sous Vide Method

Follow step 1. Cut the pork into roughly 2.5cm cubes and vacuum seal with enough Kimchi Relish to coat every piece. Cook sous vide at 54°C for 45 minutes.

Heat the fryer to 190°C, coat the pork in cornflour and fry for 2 minutes until crisp. Toss and plate as above.

Menu Planning Notes

• Braise and cube the pork ahead of service, then coat and fry to order in small batches.

• Keep extra Kimchi Relish on the pass for finishing.

• Where it fits on the menu: a bar snack, a share plate, or tucked into bao with pickled cucumber.

  
  

Recipe by Chef Jesper Gustafsson.

Try it with Frenchmaid Kimchi Relish or request a free sample.

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