Debunking Pork Belly

It's a long time that I wanted to cook pork belly. For some reason, maybe the virus (haha...), I couldn't find it last months. Today I found a nice one.

One reason why I wanted to cook pork belly is because I've seen many videos on YT how to cook it, always trying to make it look like something complicate. Last video I saw, they marinated it one whole day, sliced the skin in a fancy way and used lots of different condiments. To me, that's all BS and I had to debunk all those fancy chefs.

Lets start with the condiments I used.

That's it.

I not even put too much, as you can see. I always prefer to add more salt or other condiments when the food is at least half way done.


Set the oven to 350 and covered with a tinfoil lid, leaving a gap at the edge of the tray. I rotated the meat about every 30 minutes or so, until it started to change to a nice golden color. Then I lowered temp to 320, added more salt and some orange juice, I don't know..., maybe a cup ?

Then, couple of flips more and that's it. So tender that I couldn't grab it with the tweezers without braking it. Probably total time in oven...., 3 hours, I go by eye always.


I could leave it in the oven more time and make it crunchier, but food talks to you when you taste it and this one screamed "EAT ME NOW". My stomach answered "HELL YEAH".

I made nice chili beans to put together with that, no white rice this time. I think the picture talks by itself.

a reply to: Trueman

That stuff is the greatest. I did sous vide, then broiled, pork belly tacos last week and I wish I made more.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Trueman

That stuff is the greatest. I did sous vide, then broiled, pork belly tacos last week and I wish I made more.

That's what I'm talking about. Food for real men. Not low fat, low salt, low this, low that.

a reply to: Trueman
I just love streaky bacon et al..including Pancetta, especially the Spanish Pancetta, and especially for breakfast....now I'm dribbling!

originally posted by: Trueman

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Trueman

That stuff is the greatest. I did sous vide, then broiled, pork belly tacos last week and I wish I made more.

That's what I'm talking about. Food for real men. Not low fat, low salt, low this, low that.

Low fat is nonsense...we are mostly fat, we need to burn fat. Fat is our fuel

now Carbs...that crap is the devil that will kill you

Don't blame the butter for what the bread did to you basically.

a reply to: Trueman

I love side pork!!
I have been eating a lot of it since this pandemic trying to put good fat on.
I have some in my freezer and maybe I'll try your recipe...usually I just cook it with salt and pepper and eat it with mustard.

originally posted by: DrumsRfun
a reply to: Trueman

I love side pork!!
I have been eating a lot of it since this pandemic trying to put good fat on.
I have some in my freezer and maybe I'll try your recipe...usually I just cook it with salt and pepper and eat it with mustard.

That's good. I strongly believe the best and healthier recipes are the simple ones.

Besides that, weekends are so short and don't want to spend all day in kitchen.

sexy af. second

a reply to: Trueman
Looks good, but when you said pork belly I thought you meant cooking a whole slab. That still looks really good

I just add pepper and salt when I cook side pork. It is hard to find these days, I fry it crisp and eat it with toast. Every store used to carry it years ago, now you only find it in a few stores and it has gotten more expensive than bacon. I slice it thin when I fry it. I like it better than bacon, but you have to get it pretty fresh or it does not taste so good. I also like salt pork, that is easier to find but tastes different than good fresh side pork.

hilarious. well said. third. reply to: SaturnFX

a reply to: Trueman

Looks pretty delish.

They’re called rashers here in Oz, pork belly strips.

You should try the full belly roast in an air fryer, perfect crackling every time, and the most basic ingredients...salt, pepper and olive oil.

www.lifestylefood.com.au...

Delicious!

a reply to: Chadwickus
Yes, I am trying to find a whole piece. Like Ricky said, hard to find these days.

I'd like to make it like a roll, with herbs inside. I was lucky to find the last 3 stripes in the store. I paid like 20 bucks for all 3. Very affordable, maybe that's why it's hard to find.

a reply to: Trueman

I think that pork like this, has become harder to buy due to the Chinese having issues with their traditional protein supply (mostly from pigs) and they had to go farther afield to source sufficient for their enormous population.

The side effect of a world wide economy.

U.S. faces meat shortage while its pork exports to China soar: Braun - Reuters

I make a lot of bacon. Double smoked deliciousness. I also like to make pork belly burnt ends. They are easy, impossible to screw up, and taste like meat candy.

I did Korean BBQ Belly 2 weekends ago. It was fantastic. Marinaded as a typical korean BBQ. Then smoked 6 hours with hickory, basing every 30 minutes for the last 2 hours. Have half the belly vacuum sealed in the freezer for the next asian cuisine night.

With this meal i used the last of my pulled pork egg rolls. I had rolled up about 200 at the beginning of summer. They didn't last very long.

WOW that looks incredible!! Pork always makes me hungry

I actually made some pork belly the last week or so for the first time. The restaurant supply stores here have had amazing prices on stuff I'd normally never use. I think I paid $2/lb

I got like a 5 lb belly and chopped it into 3.5" cubes and did it several ways. I put some in a bag and marinated in teriyaki and ginger, another went in a bag of Char sui maranade, those stayed in the fridge for a week while I made Chile Colorado sauce and braised the last third for several hours.

The results on all three were amazing, the fat on porkbelly does such a great job keeping the meat moist during a low slow cooking process.

The leftovers from all 3 also went onto custom pizzas, and some of the char sui went into some homemade ramen.

I now understand why pork belly is a thing, so good!!