Estimated Nutrition

Per serving

Ingredients & Substitutes

Instructions

1. 1

   Season 1.5 kilograms of skin-on pork belly generously with 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

2. 2

   Preheat your smoker to 120 degrees Celsius and smoke the seasoned pork belly for 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius.

3. 3

   In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, then add 1 large diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 can (400 grams) of drained cannellini beans, 1 can (800 grams) of crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of vegetable broth, and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, then bring the ragu to a simmer.

5. 5

   Slice the smoked pork belly into 2-inch thick pieces and add them to the simmering ragu, cooking for an additional 1.5 hours or until the pork belly is fork-tender.

6. 6

   While the pork belly and ragu simmer, prepare 1 cup of instant polenta according to package directions, typically boiling 4 cups of water or broth, whisking in the polenta, and cooking until thickened.

7. 7

   Pour the cooked polenta onto a baking sheet to cool and firm up, then cut the firm polenta into 2-inch squares and grill or pan-fry them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown on both sides.

8. 8

   Serve the smoked pork belly and cannellini bean ragu immediately over the grilled polenta, garnished with 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley.