Preheat oven to 425°.

Score the top fat of the pork belly roast into diamonds, ½ inch apart and just deep enough to reach the meat. (You can otherwise remove the top layer of tougher
skin then score remaining fat.) Rub with salt and place in a large roasting pan, skin side up. Place pan into oven, uncovered, and roast until the skin is crispy and be- gins to puff, about 45 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, stir honey and chile purée together and divide in half.

Remove roast from oven, remove from pan and set aside; layer the bottom of the pan with onions and carrots. Rub the roast with half of the honey-chile mixture and cover with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350°, place covered pan in oven and cook for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the remaining ingredients with the remain- ing honey-chile mixture. Mix well with a wire whisk, cover and refrigerate.

Remove pork belly from oven, drain excess drippings. Reserving ¼ cup for final serv- ing, coat pork with the chilled mixture. Cover with aluminum foil again and cook for the final 35 minutes. Let rest covered on a cutting board for 15 minutes, slice, serve with remaining sauce and enjoy! Serves 6–8 as an appetizer or main course.

WINE PAIRING: 2009 Weingut Anton Bauer Pinot Noir, Wagram, Austria. Pork belly is a hands-down favorite that makes me squeal, especially a tender, smoky recipe like this one. With fresh berries and red flowers, this remarkable Pinot is silky smooth with structure enough to stand up to the fat of the belly. Burgundian in style without the outrageous price tag too!
—Eric Taylor, Bottles, Providence

Recipe by Chef Branden Read, Celestial Café, Exeter