Roast Pork Belly with Sauerkraut and Potato Dumplings

Preheat the oven to 220°C (approximately 425°F) convection.

For the pork belly: Rinse the meat, pat dry and place, rind-side down, in a roasting pan. Add enough water to completely cover the rind and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the roasting pan and score the rind in 1 cm (approximately 1/3 inch) intervals. 

Remove the water from the roasting pan and wipe dry. Add the oil to the pan. Peel the shallots and garlic and cut in half. Add to the roasting pan along with the caraway and season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves and roast for about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C (approximately 350°F), add the broth and beer and place the meat over the vegetables. Roast for another 1 hour 30 minutes, basting as necessary.

Meanwhile, for the sauerkraut: Strain the sauerkraut and transfer to a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, juniper berries, wine and broth, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Cut the rind from the bacon and add to the sauerkraut. Peel the onion and chop finely. Dice the bacon and sauté with the onion until light golden brown in the oil. Remove the spices from the sauerkraut, add the bacon mixture and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

For the dumplings: Scrub the potatoes thoroughly. Cook 1/3 of the potatoes in salted water for about 30 minutes, until fork-tender. 

Peel the remaining potatoes, grate finely and press out the liquid with a kitchen cloth. Let the starch settle to the bottom of the liquid then pour off the liquid. Add to the grated potatoes. Peel the cooked potatoes and press through a potato ricer into the grated potatoes. Add the egg yolk, season with salt and nutmeg and mix until smooth, adding potato starch as necessary.

Form into small dumplings and simmer in salted water until they float to the surface, about 20 minutes.

Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with a little water and brush over the pork rind around 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. If necessary, increase the temperature to 220°C to create a crispy crust. Keep warm in the oven at 120°C (approximately 250°F).

Strain the pan juices and discard any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until thickened to your liking. Serve the sliced pork belly with the pan sauce, sauerkraut and potato dumplings. 

The remaining Peel potatoes, grate finely and press out well with the help of a kitchen cloth. The juice reserved and wait until the starch has settled, then drain the water and give the strength to the amounts expressed potatoes. Peel the cooked potatoes and press through a ricer to the raw potatoes. Add the egg yolks, salt, season with nutmeg and mix well to a smooth dumpling. If the dumplings weight too humid, a little starch quantities (possibly sample dumplings and cook).

sTEP 6

Remove each little mass and form small dumplings. The best work with strength floured hands.

sTEP 7

Are all shaped insert together in boiling salted water, reduce the heat and leave until done about 20 minutes.

sTEP 8