Pork belly fritters with caramelised pineapple
- Published: 12 May 22
- Updated: 25 Mar 24
Slow-cooked pork belly fritters with caramelised pineapple and curry leaf chutney: are these the poshest fritters ever inspired by Spam?
For something speedier, check out our easy crispy pork belly recipe.
- Makes 13 fritters – serves 4 with one for the cook to test
- Hands-on time 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling and chilling. Oven time 6½ hours
Ingredients
- 1kg British free-range boneless pork belly, skin removed, leaving as much fat as possible
- 330ml light lager (we like Asahi)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/2 tsp paprika (not smoked)
- 50g fresh coriander, finely chopped, plus extra sprigs to serve (optional)
- Plain flour for dusting
- 2 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 100g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 litre vegetable oil for frying
- 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve
For the pineapple chutney
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15g fresh curry leaves (or 1/2 x 2g jar dried curry leaves)
- 5 green cardamom pods, bashed with a rolling pin
- 2 red chillies, finely chopped
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 small-medium pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into rough 1cm chunks (500g prepared flesh)
- Finely grated zest and juice
- 1 plump lime
You’ll also need
- Digital thermometer
Method
- For the chutney: put the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon, curry leaves, cardamom and chillies. Fry until the curry leaves look crisp. Add the sugar and 125ml water, then heat without bubbling until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 1-2 minutes, then add the onion and pineapple with a large pinch of salt and simmer, stirring often, for 20 minutes until the pineapple looks caramelised and the juice is syrupy. Stir in the lime zest and juice, then transfer to an airtight container, leave to cool, then cover and chill for up to 1 week.
- For the fritters: heat the oven to 130°C fan/gas 2. Dry the pork belly with kitchen paper, then sprinkle well all over with salt. Put in a roasting tin fat-side down (where the skin used to be) and pour in the lager. Carefully cover the tin with foil, scrunching the edges tightly to make it airtight. Cook for 5-6 hours, flipping the belly halfway through, until the meat is soft and the fat is melting.
- Turn the oven up to 180°C fan/gas 6. Uncover and roast the meat for 25-30 minutes until the fat and the edges are crispy and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Transfer all the meat and juices from the tray into a mixing bowl. Break the meat up a bit, stir in the garlic and paprika, then cover with a plate and leave to cool (this is important or the meat will dry out when you shred it).
- Once the meat is cool, break it up a little more and transfer with all the juices to a food processor. Pulse until the meat is finely minced and will hold together when you press it. Briefly pulse in the 50g coriander, then divide into 13 oval patties and lay out on a lined baking tray. Chill for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Once ready to cook, slide the baking paper, with the patties still on it, off the tray. Put some flour on a plate, the beaten eggs in a shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs on another plate. Season the flour and eggs with a little salt. Dip each patty into the flour, then into the egg, shaking off the excess each time, then finally roll it in the breadcrumbs, patting them on. Put the coated patties on the unlined baking tray.
- Heat the oven to its lowest setting, put the oil in a large sauté pan or saucepan and heat until it reaches 170-180°C degrees when tested with a digital thermometer. Fry the fritters 4-5 at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning once, or until deep golden. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the rest.
- Serve the fritters with the pineapple chutney, scattered with coriander (if you like) and with lime wedges for squeezing.
- Recipe from May 2022 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 307kcals
- Fat
- 20.9g (6.4g saturated)
- Protein
- 17g
- Carbohydrates
- 10.8g (5.6g sugars)
- Fibre
- 0.3g
- Salt
- 0.3g
delicious. tips
Don’t waste it: Keep the pork skin and leave it overnight in the fridge, uncovered, to dry out. Score the skin with a sharp knife, salt it on both sides, then roast it as hot as your oven will go for 30-40 minutes until crispy.
The chutney benefits from a few days in the fridge for all the flavours to get friendly, but it’s still great on the day it’s made. The cooked pork belly can be broken up and put in an airtight container with its juices, cooled and chilled for 2 days, or up to 1 month in the freezer. The whizzed filling can be kept chilled for 2 days or up to 1 month in the freezer. Freeze the breadcrumbed fritters (uncooked) for up to 1 month.
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