Jumari: crispy Romanian pork belly cubes

Method

1. 1

   Preparing the meat

   Rinse the pork belly under cold water, trim off the skin and any tough parts, then cut it into 2–3 cm cubes.

   5 min
2. 2

   Salting

   Toss the cubes thoroughly in a bowl with a tablespoon of salt.

   2 min
3. 3

   Starting the frying

   Transfer the meat to a heavy-based pan and begin frying over a medium-low heat, so the fat melts gradually.

   3 min
4. 4

   Slow frying

   Stir occasionally and keep cooking until the fat has rendered and the cubes are golden brown and crispy. You can add the garlic and paprika at the end of cooking, if you like.

   60 min
5. 5

   Draining

   Remove the finished cubes and place them on kitchen paper to drain off the fat. Store the rendered fat separately and use it as lard.

   3 min
6. 6

   Serving

   Serve warm or at room temperature with bread, onion, mustard or horseradish paste, sprinkled with a little extra salt if you like.

   5 min