the process of making pork belly roulade

This is Danny, slowly slicing the skin from a fresh pork belly.

That’s a sharp knife he’s using. That’s essential.

You have to leave some fat on the belly for a good sear. You’re not trying to create a lean piece of meat here.

You want juicy and crisp, aching with flavor and ready to be eaten.

It’s a delicate balance. How much fat is too much? Too little?

This one worked for Danny.

And here he is, butterflying open the pork belly. Look at the striation on that, the marbling of fat.

“Go slow,” he says. “Don’t rush. Just feel it with your knife.”

To finish it might take a few minutes, but it’s worth it.

(Of course, Danny is much, much faster than I could ever be. He has done this before. A few times.)

This is mushroom duxelle that Danny’s spreading in the belly.

Mushrooms, shallots, garlic. Sherry, spinach, and thyme. Cream.

So much flavor.

This puppy is ready to be trussed.

There it is. About 30 minutes after entering the oven, it leaves as this.

We all wanted to break into applause.

We fell silent when we saw this.

That crisp skin. The warm smell. The golden color.

We enjoyed this more than I could say.

Would you like a bite? You can have one.

On Friday, we’ll tell you how.