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Pork Belly


Subdeacon Joe

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About half way through Lent I saw in Safeway, in the "managers special" section of the meat dept. a package of "Pork Fat."  Basically it was trim from pork belly.  About an inch and a half wide and various lengths and kind of rolled up.  It was two bucks, and then 30% off.  At worst it could be used to add fat to sausage or just cook it down for the dog. Got home with it and put it in the freezer.

Thursday night I moved the package to the fridge so it could thaw.  I've never ordered pork belly in a restaurant, nor have I ever cooked it before.  Thought "what the heck" and decided to try it for lunch today.  I browsed some recipes for "Braised Pork Belly."
OK, I got the idea and came up with:

Glazed Pork Belly – Instant Pot

Pork Belly cut into 2” x 2” chunks.

Salt

½ cup Molasses
½ cup Jim Beam Apple

Pinch of Sugar

Pinch of Savory Spice Harissa Powder

Pinch of Savory Spice Berbere Powder

Salt pork on all sides lightly.

Brown pork on all sides in skillet. 

While this is happening mix the Molasses, Jim Beam Apple, and sugar in a bowl until well combined, set aside.

Pull pork from pan, pour off grease.  Remove pan from heat, add in the Molasses/Bourbon mix to deglaze. Return to heat to reduce. 

Place pork in one layer in pressure cooker.  Add glaze.  Cook under pressure for 40 minutes.  Natural release for 10 minutes, then vent.

Brown pork in skillet.  Pour liquid from pressure cooker into heat proof cup, ladle off fat.  Pour glaze over pork in skillet.  Remove from heat.

Enjoy.

 

The only difference between the recipe and what I actually did was I had a leftover packet of dipping sauce from frozen Coconut Shrimp.  Not a lot of flavor to it, mildly spicy, mildly sweet, which is why I added some sugar to the recipe.
Pork came out falling apart, almost melt in your mouth tender.
When my wife tried the pork her eyes rolled back in her head, I think she quivered a little and moaned out "OH GAWD!  That is so good! It's the best thing I've eaten in quite a while."  

I think the recipe is a keeper.  Also something to play with.  Maybe spicer.  Maybe add some orange or tangerine.   Pomegranate molasses instead of regular molasses.  Lots of possibilities.

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1 minute ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Is the pork fat a common item at your market?

 

I hadn't really noticed it before.  I had seen Pork Belly, in about 6" x 6" x about 1 1/2" squares.  That's why I think what was labeled as "Pork Fat" was the trim from pork belly.  Now that tried it I'll check for it.  Just before Thanksgiving I noticed the Pork Belly for the first time - I think it was about $4 or $5 a pound, but it was in the Managers Special part and was 30% off that.  There was a good bit of lean to it.  I don't mind buying trim, it is usually pretty decent, if small, cuts.  Very useful for a two person household.  

I usually buy meat at one of the Smart Food Service stores here. One is Smart & Final, the other used to be called Cash & Carry and is a restaurant supply store open to the public.  I do watch the weekly ads from both Safeway and Lucky for o such a deal specials.  Last summer Lucky had pork loin for a buck a pound.  Early March Safeway had corned beef for $1.39/lb.  I could sometimes find tri-tip for under $2/lb.  By the time I trimmed it it was maybe $2.50/'lb and I turn it into ground beef.

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Our daughter has had 9 kinds of Hell with vertigo. Like put her in bed for a week Hell. The only treatment they've come up with that has helped is ZERO sodium. Has worked pretty well. I buy pork bellies (raw uncured bacon basically) and smoking them for her. She LOVES them! Beats no bacon at all.

JHC

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I first tried Pork Belly while living in the UK, and fell in love with it.

 

Now I do pork belly about once every month and half, or two.

I use Gordon Ramsey's recipe, but there are hundreds out there:

 

https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/slow-roasted-pork-belly/

 

Sometimes I'll cut the 10lb belly in half and roast half, and do this with the other half:

 

https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/pittman-pork-belly-burnt-ends

 

Our local Costco gets around $3 per pound of Pork Belly, and it's probably the most delightful

meat you can buy for anywhere near that price!

 

Shadow Catcher

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39 minutes ago, T.J. Bones SASS# 75616 said:

We used to eat fatback. It is the 1" layer of fat on a hogs back with the rind still on. It is sliced and fried like bacon.

If you cross slice just the rind, lightly rub with oil, and salt, then roast, you get some outrageously good cracklins!

 

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Love to grill or fry pork belly!

 

Might have to try out that recipe up top in my InstaPot since I don't have access to a grill/smoker.

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Many cultures have some kind of cured pork fat product.  In Ukraine it is just the white fatty stuff you usually render down from your bacon, served just like that not rendered. IIRC it was served as a 2 sq cm piece of fat, with a slice of dill pickle a slice of garlic and a half shot of garilka (vodka) as a garnish for my borsh.

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I compete in dutch oven contests. Pork belly is rendered by me for the grease which I use to cook in my dutch ovens. I freeze it for later use.

 

It is also excellent for Southern recipes.

 

I give the remnants to my pet owning friends.

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