The Real Argentina Food: Roast Pork Belly Recipe

It goes without saying that meat is the biggest player in the Argentinian diet. Beef reigns supreme as the meat of choice, but Argentina’s food isn’t restricted to that of a bovine nature, and other meats such as pork and lamb are also popular. Pork is particularly favoured during Christmas (Navidad) in Argentina, when it’s traditional to serve a whole roast suckling pig on Christmas day.

Our roast pork belly recipe is representative of a typical Argentine dish, with an emphasis on a large, simply seasoned piece of meat accompanied by a typical fiery kick, in this case represented by curry powder in the mash. Like our empanada recipe, this recipe is by chef Matías Podestá, one of the leading young chefs in Mendoza. More about Matías can be found on the original empanada recipe post.

Matias Podesta
Matías Podestá

Roasted Pork Belly Served With Roasted Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Thinly Sliced Zucchini (Courgettes) and Roast Onions

Ingredients

1000g Pork Belly

Two Zucchini (Courgettes)
Olive Oil
Two Onions

Salt and pepper

For the Mash:
1kg Sweet Potatoes
50g Butter
½ teaspoon curry powder

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220c/Gas Mark 7.

2. Pork: Score the pork skin and fat, and season the skin and meat with salt and pepper. Roast the pork for 30 minutes until the skin puffs and starts to turn into crackling. Reduce heat to 180c/Gas Mark 4 and roast for another hour.

3. Mash: Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and roast for approx 1 hr 20 minutes at the same heat as the pork. Once the potatoes are cooked, leave to cool slightly so you can hold them in your hands easily and then, using a knife gently peel away the skin and mash together with the butter and curry powder.

4. Zucchini: Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchinis lengthways into thin slices. Place the slices on an oiled grease proof paper lined baking tray. Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake until they become slightly golden in colour.

Roast the onions in the oven with their skins still on until soft then peel and cut in quarters

Once the pork is cooked, slice into four portions. Layer the zucchini slices on the plate and place the pork on top with a portion of sweet mashed potato and two quarters of roasted onion.

¡Buen apetito!

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Paula Lucero

Paula Lucero

Paula Lucero is Argento's hospitality manager at Casa Argento in Chacras de Coria, Mendoza. Having spent ten years cruising around the world, Paula has returned to her home city of Mendoza with an international eye for all the hot goings-on around town. She has her finger on the pulse of Mendoza and always knows what's new and exciting on the scene. When she's not entertaining guests from across the globe, she's entertaining her adorable young son, and she loves to go horseback riding among Mendoza's surrounding natural beauty.
Paula Lucero

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3 responses to “The Real Argentina Food: Roast Pork Belly Recipe

  1. Gholdy says:

    Wow! Looks so yummy and juicier. Thanks for the recipe and the preparation method. I will try this for my family. Thank you very, very much! =D

  2. Honkeen says:

    I'm going to try this.

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