Slow-cooked, Wadadli-spiced Cubano pork belly
Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. Lay the pork in a large dish, pour over the marinade, then turn the meat in the mixture, rubbing in the marinade all over and making sure eve
Cook and rest are read from the method. Prep is estimated when the listing left it out. Optional overnight waits and leftover storage are not counted.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 5 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. Lay the pork in a large dish, pour over the marinade, then turn the meat in the mixture, rubbing in the marinade all over and making sure every bit of the belly is coated. Cover the dish and leave overnight in the fridge. The next day, heat the oven to 140C (120C fan)/275F/gas 1. Lift the meat out of its marinade (don’t wipe off any that sticks to the joint, though; just leave most of the marinade behind in the dish) and transfer to a large roasting dish. Cover with foil, slip into the oven and roast for four and a half hours – every now and then (say, three or four times over the whole cooking period), take the dish out of the oven, lift off the foil lid and spoon the juices from the bottom of the dish over the meat. Return the foil lid, then put back in the oven.
What you'll need
14 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Olive oil175 ml
- Coriander59 ml
- Parsley59 ml
- Oregano89 ml
- Mint89 ml
- Fresh chilli, 2 red chilli and 1 green chilli3
- Lime2
- Garlic40 g
- Cumin15 ml
- Ground allspice30 ml
- Saltto taste
- Black pepperto taste
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. Lay the pork in a large dish, pour over the marinade, then turn the meat in the mixture, rubbing in the marinade all over and making sure every bit of the belly is coated. Cover the dish and leave overnight in the fridge.
Step 2
The next day, heat the oven to 140C (120C fan)/275F/gas 1. Lift the meat out of its marinade (don’t wipe off any that sticks to the joint, though; just leave most of the marinade behind in the dish) and transfer to a large roasting dish. Cover with foil, slip into the oven and roast for four and a half hours – every now and then (say, three or four times over the whole cooking period), take the dish out of the oven, lift off the foil lid and spoon the juices from the bottom of the dish over the meat. Return the foil lid, then put back in the oven.
Step 3
After the time is up, remove the foil, turn up the heat to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and give the pork a final blast – after 15-20 minutes, the top will take on a lovely colour and the meat should be yielding and soft enough to cut with a spoon.
20 min
Step 4
To make crackling shards to serve with the meat, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line a roasting tray with baking paper. Lightly score the skin from the pork belly with a sharp knife, then rub it with a three or four fat pinches of salt – I also like to add a few caraway, cumin or fennel seeds at this point (use anything that takes your fancy). Cut the skin into long strips and lay these fat side down on the lined tray (you can, of course, leave it whole, but I think its pleasing to dress the plate with long, golden shards of crackling). Lay a second sheet of baking paper on top of the skin, then put a second baking tray of the same size on top, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour (if by this point the crackling has not gone crisp, just put it back in the oven and carry on roasting it until it has).
105 min
Step 5
Cut or pull the pork apart, top with finely chopped coriander and flat-leaf parsley and shards of crackling, if you have made them, and serve at once
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 516 kcal
- Protein
- 6.5 g
- Carbs
- 37.8 g
- Fat
- 42.5 g
- Saturated fat
- 6.1 g
- Fibre
- 15.6 g
- Sugar
- 8.8 g
- Sodium
- 236 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
chilli (paprika or chilli flakes) → paprika or chilli flakes
Paprika is milder and sweeter. Add cayenne if you still want heat.
lime → lemon
Works in most savoury cooking. Desserts may notice.
garlic (garlic powder or a pinch of onion) → garlic powder or a pinch of onion
1 clove ≈ ¼ tsp garlic powder. The fresh bite will be missing.
Tips
- Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
History & culture
Inspired by the original
Provenance: Imported. Not developed or tested in our kitchen, so quantities and timings can be approximate. Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Slow-cooked, Wadadli-spiced Cubano pork belly take?
2 hr 20 min all in — 15 min prep, 2 hr 5 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Oven, Baking tray, Blender.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at to taste.
What can I use instead?
chilli (paprika or chilli flakes) → paprika or chilli flakes. Paprika is milder and sweeter. Add cayenne if you still want heat. lime → lemon. Works in most savoury cooking. Desserts may notice. garlic (garlic powder or a pinch of onion) → garlic powder or a pinch of onion. 1 clove ≈ ¼ tsp garlic powder. The fresh bite will be missing.
Any tips from this recipe?
Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. Lay the pork in a large dish, pour over the marinade, then turn the meat in the mixture, rubbing in the marinade all over and making sure every bit of the belly is coated. Cover the dish and leave overnight in the fridge. The next day, heat the oven to 140C (120C fan)/275F/gas 1. Lift the meat out of its marinade (don’t wipe off any that sticks to the joint, though; just leave most of the marinade behind in the dish) and transfer to a large roasting dish. Cover with foil, slip into the oven and roast for four and a half hours – every now and then (say, three or four times over the whole cooking period), take the dish out of the oven, lift off the foil lid and spoon the juices from the bottom of the dish over the meat. Return the foil lid, then put back in the oven.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.