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Torresmo
Torresmo: Minas Gerais crackling pork belly bites fried until puffed and crisp
Every boteco in Minas Gerais keeps a tray of torresmo by the counter: chunks of pork belly with the skin on, fried so slowly the fat melts out, then blasted in hot fat until the skin bursts into crackling bubbles. Done right, each piece has a shatteringly crisp, blistered top, a layer of soft fat and a strip of juicy meat. Mineiros eat it as a snack with lime and with feijão tropeiro, tutu or couve at lunch. The classic error is frying wet skin in very hot fat at once, which gives hard, glassy skin and dangerous spitting; dry it well and fry it twice. Use a deep, heavy pot, never fill it more than a third with fat, and keep children away from it. Chef's tip: after the first slow fry, let the pieces cool completely, even overnight in the fridge; the drier the skin, the bigger the puff.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
To serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss 2 ¼ lb skin-on pork belly with 2 tsp salt and 1 lime, cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Pat every piece completely dry with kitchen paper, especially the skin.
5 minStep 3: Put the pork in a deep, heavy pot and add 1 litre lard or vegetable oil, which should come no more than a third of the way up. Heat on a low-medium heat (about 130–275°F) and fry for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is cooked through and lightly golden.
40 minStep 4: Lift the pieces onto a rack lined with paper and cool for at least 15 minutes, or chill overnight, until the skin feels dry.
15 minStep 5: Heat the fat to 375°F and fry the pork in small batches for 2–4 minutes until the skin puffs and blisters all over. Stand back: the skin pops and spits.
10 minStep 6: Drain on paper, sprinkle with a little extra salt and serve hot with 2 lime wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 52 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torresmo take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
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