• Cut the head of garlic in half across the width of the garlic.
• Rub the pork belly with the olive oil and salt and pepper.
• Pit two-thirds (1 cup) of the cherries

To Braise in the Oven:

• Heat a 24cm (10") Dutch oven or oven-proof saucepan with a lid over a high heat.
• Add the red wine, chicken stock, garlic and pitted cherries to the pot and bring it to a boil.
• Drop in the pork belly and add a lid, then transfer to the oven and cook for 3-4 hours at 150°C or 300°F.

To Braise in the Instant Pot:

• Pour the red wine, chicken stock, garlic, and pitted cherries into the Instant Pot.
• Add the pork belly then seal the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally.

To Braise in a Slow Cooker:

• Pour the red wine, chicken stock, garlic, and pitted cherries into the slow cooker.
• Add the pork belly then add the lid and cook on low pressure for 6-7 hours.

Press the pork belly and Pass the Sauce:

• When the pork belly is braised remove it from the cooking device and allow it to cool.
• Strain the cooking juices through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and push it through with a back of a ladle pressing the garlic and cherries to extract the juices. Once cooled place in the fridge and allow to rest for the same time as the pork belly.
• Once the pork is cool enough to handle wrap it in foil then sandwich it between two plates or baking sheets and then add a weight to compress it (some tinned food works great). Once the pork has cooled enough to transfer to the fridge do so and allow it to sit for at least 8 hours.

Frying the Compressed Pork Belly and preparing the sauce:

• Remove the sauce from the pork and the fat will have settled at the top of the bowl, scrape this off and discard it.
• Pour the remaining sauce into a medium-small (16-17cm or 8") saucepan with the port and reduce it by two-thirds over a high heat.
• Remove the pork from the fridge and unwrap it, trim it up so that the sides are neat and cut the remaining pork into 4 equally sized pieces.
• Pit the remaining cherries.
• Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a high heat and when it is hot add the cooking oil and sear the pork on all sides until it is crispy and nicely browned and hot right the way through.
• Whilst the pork is browning whisk the butter into the sauce, if you have an immersion blender, use this at this point it will create a much more creamy sauce.
• Stir the cherries through the sauce and allow them to heat gently whilst the pork is finishing. Serve with sides of your choice.