What's your favorite thing to do with pork belly?

[BuffettFan]

I picked up 6# of pork belly cut into roughly 2" square 10" long pieces.

Besides bacon or burnt ends, which I make regularly, what's your favorite way to cook belly?
Looking for something braised-tender, juicy, not too many ingredients.
I've already vac packed in 2# packages. Thinking sous vide is one way to get the tender, juicy taken care of, but still need to add the flavor and sear.
What sayeth the Brethren?

 

[Smoking Piney]

The best I've cooked to date has been Malcolm Reed's Jerk Pork Belly Bites.

It's a little involved, but the result is fantastic. :-D

https://howtobbqright.com/2020/03/05/jerk-pork-belly-bites/

 

[thirdeye]

Using it for side pork is one option.... but have you ever heard of streak-o-lean? If you come from the South you may have had it (if you're old enough).... or if your kinfolk still cook with the old ways. With me it's definitely a Grandpa thing.

Streak O' Lean is cured but un-smoked pork belly, in other words, think fresh side pork that has been cured. You still have it with breakfast and can use it in a pot of greens or beans. It's sliced a little thicker than standard bacon so that the fat can be fried to the perfect texture. The flavor is hard to explain, you taste pork, and the 'cured' flavor, plus a light salty and pepper flavor.

Traditionally and before refrigeration 'salt pork' was used as a military ration for a couple of hundred years as well as a household staple, and that version was plenty salty, in fact it was usually soaked in water much like you do to a country ham before cooking. I make it with my typical bacon ratio of 1.75% salt and 1% sugar, and 0.25% Cure # 1. I recently made a 4# batch along with 12# of bacon, so I used black pepper, garlic and crushed bay leaf for my aromatics. If you like fresh side pork.... give this a try.

It looks like standard bacon in the skillet, minus the smoky scent.

 

[ttkt57]

Eat it.

 

[SmokeOCD]

Look up Samgyeopsal. Spicy, fried with veggies and rice.
Since they're already the shape they are, this is where I'd go with it.

 

[NavarreQ]

Asian style burnt ends on a Hawaiian roll topped with a good slaw

 

[larry4406]

I am a neophyte.

I just used rubs on the slices and smoked as is. I used Heath Riles Garlic Butter and Malcom Reed's The BBQ rub.

Ate slices as the meal with sides or put them on BLT's with avacado.

Liking the subject of this thread. I have a full frozen pork belly that I need to plan for.


Sorry for sideways picture

 

[wazzou]

Eat it!

 

[BuffettFan]

I'm liking everything so far!

Keep the ideas coming, Brethren!

 

[LYU370]

I did a version of Bill's (SmokinAussie) belly a while back. Pork Belly is good no matter how you cook it.

Was great. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208744

Original thread when Bill was still a Hippie youngster : https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105297

Also, Google Hong Kong pork belly, think it's called Su Yuk or something like that. Crispy, geared more towards the oven.

 

[SmokinAussie]

I did a version of Bill's (SmokinAussie) belly a while back. Pork Belly is good no matter how you cook it.

Was great. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208744

Original thread when Bill was still a Hippie youngster : https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105297

Also, Google Hong Kong pork belly, think it's called Su Yuk or something like that. Crispy, geared more towards the oven.

Woooo, Andy! That's an old one, and yes it was a pretty good result.

Maybe the best thing is to look at red braised pork belly.

https://thewoksoflife.com/red-braised-pork-belly-mao/

It lends itself well to Sous Vide. I did this another time in 2017 by steaming 2 inch squares for something like 10 hours. What this does is make the skin extremely gelatinous which gives a very unctuous mouth feel.

Cheers!

Bill