Black Pepper and Soy Beef Belly.

Inspired all the flavours I just can’t get enough of. I always think when serving with rice and sesame seeds it’s all about your own taste, I’m not going to put a quantity, you need to decide it for yourself. I don’t like that much rice, just enough to soak up the sauce, but I now people that fancy a pile, and that’s cool, just make sure there’s pools of sauce.

serves 4

cook time:

1kg beef baguette

2 tbsp crushed black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic bulb, halved

chunk ginger, thinly sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1 whole red chilli

2 star anise

50ml shaoshing wine

50ml rice wine vinegar

250ml light soy sauce

50g light brown muscovado

Cooked basmati, to serve

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

small handful coriander leaves

Press the black peppercorns really well into the beef, don’t forget this stage. Heat a large heavy based ovenproof sauté pan over a medium heat + add 2 tablespoons of the oil, you don’t have to measure this exactly, you just need enough to make sure the beef doesn’t stick. Squish the piece of bavette into the pan, cutting it in half isn’t a bad call, it’ll be snug, but make sure it’s brown all over, nicely brow, it’ll take a bit of time, maybe 10 minutes but give it this time, it’ll be worth it. Remove, set aside for a few. 

Heat the other tablespoon of oil and then add the onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, whole chilli and star anise. This will need to sauté over a low heat for about 10 minutes, the onions will soften and the spices will flavour the oil and onions. 

Nuzzle the meat back into the pan in between the onions and spices. Add the wine, vinegar and soy to this along with the sugar and 250ml water. Pop on the lid, cook for 2 hours until it’s super tender. It’ll need to be falling apart. serve with rice, spoon over the sauce, the rice will soak it up and then top with spring onions and coriander.