# Pork Belly Ideas Needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407 "2015-06-24T23:26:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/1 "2015-06-24T23:26:28Z")
I was at Costco today and saw pork Belly in the meat case. Having watch Iron Chef, Chopped, and other cooking shows I had to buy a package. It’s sliced into pieces about 1 1/2" wide rather than one piece. There is no skin or rind attached. So far all I’ve done is cut some into cubes and cook in a skillet until browned and cooked through. Package said to cook to 145°, but I went a little past that. Sprinkled a little salt and pepper on it and it was good. I did cut the cubes into pieces about 1/4" thick. I still have plenty more so I’m looking for more ideas. The recepies I found so far assume it’s one big piece with the skin on. Question: is what I have the same as uncured bacon other than the thickness? I’m thinking it is. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/2 "2015-06-25T00:36:10Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > Question: is what I have the same as uncured bacon other than the thickness? I’m thinking it is. Yep. One preparation I really like is something a local(ish) restaurant I go to does. They pan-fry a piece that’s maybe 1/2" on all sides it until it’s cooked through, then give the outside a good crisp (I think they drop it in a deep-fryer, but you can get it pretty crisp in a hot pan). Then they just serve the slab with a sprinkling of chives and maple syrup. “Pork belly french toast” is what they call it. It’s divine. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/3 "2015-06-25T00:53:49Z")
That’s kind of what I did today, slightly larger pieces though. Very tasty. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/4 "2015-06-25T01:01:43Z")
My favourite is [twice-cooked pork](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twice_cooked_pork), if you can find the ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/5 "2015-06-25T01:49:13Z")
The jujubee stuff might be an issue, but I’m friends with folks who own a Chinese restaurant, so maybe not. They have twice cooked pork on the menu, and I’ve had it many times, but it’s not made with pork belly. At least it didn’t look like belly. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/6 "2015-06-25T06:30:35Z")
If it were winter, I’d say braise it. I’m not sure you want to do that in summer, though. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/7 "2015-06-25T06:43:25Z")
I’d chop it up and use it to make chili con carne or Cuban black beans. Whether you brown it or not before throwing it into the pot is up to you! There are a lot of websites telling how to cure pork belly. Here is just one: > **[How To Make Smoked Homemade Bacon - It Is So Much Better Than Store Bought](https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/how-make-smoked-bacon-home/)** > > Homemade bacon is easy and the results are much better than grocery store smoked bacon. Once you have the basic homemade smoked bacon recipe down, you can vary the ingredients to make countless flavor variations. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/8 "2015-06-25T15:13:51Z")
Alton Brown did a show where he made bacon from scratch. It was set in a junkyard as I recall. He built a cold smoker too. I hate to just chop it up, but it is an option. The pieces I fried in the skillet were good so I can always fall back on that. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/9 "2015-06-26T14:20:36Z")
Check out this overly verbose treatment [here](http://foodspin.deadspin.com/how-to-cook-pork-belly-which-thoroughly-kicks-bacons-a-1619788169), I thoroughly and completely endorse following the recipe found there to make Pork Belly Tacos. If there are gods, Pork Belly Tacos is what they eat. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/10 "2015-06-26T15:19:05Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > Alton Brown did a show where he made bacon from scratch. It was set in a junkyard as I recall. He built a cold smoker too. > > I hate to just chop it up, but it is an option. The pieces I fried in the skillet were good so I can always fall back on that. Basically you cure it with salt and sugar (and a bit of #1 curing salt), and then smoke it for a while. Great stuff; it’s typically firmer, denser and more flavorful than the commercial stuff, in that the curing process removes water instead of pumping it full of brine, and it’s actually smoked with an adequate amount of real wood, instead of either very minimally, or worse, with liquid smoke. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/11 "2015-06-26T15:51:35Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > If it were winter, I’d say braise it. I’m not sure you want to do that in summer, though. Still braise it, serve it with ice cubes? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/12 "2015-06-26T16:15:29Z")
I had some last night at a beer-food pairing. > [@](#): > > 3rd course - Uranus black double IPA paired with braised pork belly, cabbage slaw, onion soubise, purslane, Kathy’s poached egg It was amazing. The pork belly/egg combo was like a new take on bacon and eggs. Plus, beer! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/13 "2015-06-26T16:25:58Z")
Too late to edit, but [here is a picture.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/porkbelly_zpsj9bf0skm.jpg) And as I told the Bell’s rep, Uranus was delicious! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/14 "2015-06-26T17:04:47Z")
Thanks for the input folks. For now the belly, sans skin, is vacuum bagged and in the freezer. I made sous vide brisket overnight and that’s on the menu today. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/15 "2015-06-26T18:18:41Z")
You can put your pork bellies in a barrel and enact some tax and spend legislation. However, I prefer the other ideas above. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/16 "2015-06-27T01:41:40Z")
Chicharon. Mind, real chicharon has skin that’s popped like rinds, the meat is fully dry and the fat is rendered out. Common chicharones isn’t treated well enough. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/17 "2015-06-27T03:26:42Z")
I was telling my neighbor about the pork belly and asked if he’d ever eaten crackling. He said no. I then asked about chicharon and he said sure. I said it’s about the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/18 "2015-06-30T06:07:10Z")
If I had some pork belly, I’d boil it and put it in Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (goi cuon). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-belly-ideas-needed/723407/19 "2015-06-30T06:45:49Z")
I made a BLT except with a nice thick slice of pork belly, nicely fried up in the pan, instead of the bacon. Round two, add a fried egg and make it a breakfast sandwich. Maybe tomorrow. Mmmmm. Pork Belly hash. Someone suggested sweet potatoes, but I’m a traditionalist. Regular spuds for me. I’m sensing a breakfast theme. You can oven roast it. There are several recipes online. Most seem to be variations on starting with high heat, then lowering it to cook. Goal to get the skin nice and crackling.