adwred
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Fried Pork Belly - YUMIf you're not familiar with pork belly, it looks like bacon, but it's sold fresh in the meat section of your supermarket (not cured or smoked) with all the other fresh pork and the slices tend to be much thicker than bacon with a bit of rind attached to the top.
My favourite totally healthy treat is to do the following:
Cut just the rind off of the very edge of the slices (I'll render the fat out of the rind later on, but I always remove it or else it makes the pork belly tough and hard to bite through). Then I fry the slices over moderate heat until lightly browned (a no-no for glutamates, I know, but we're talking a treat here) and slightly crispy around the edges. This takes a few minutes - be patient. Then I sprinkle with a touch of salt. It's better than bacon - not as salty and no guilt about preservatives or chemicals! It's also totally delicious cold and a great portable zero-carb, fatty treat. It doesn't keep as long as bacon, as it's a fresh product, but it freezes well.
My mouth is actually watering at the thought of it, right now. I'm picking some up on the way home! 
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jl53563
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Yummy, sounds delicious!
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woof_woof
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You know how to make a man hungry ...
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elenarose
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I totally love pork belly 
But I actually find the meat quite tough and harsh on my digestion so I haven't bought it lately.
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adwred
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I find it tough in a pleasant kind of way. Kind of like beef jerky, but not nearly as tough. And if you braise the whole piece of belly first, then roast until crispy, then it's much more tender (it just takes longer that way).
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ReddyMcMeaty
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When you braise it do you cut the rind off as well?
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adwred
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The recipes I've seen leave it on. The skin tenderizes during the braising process and turns crispy when you roast.
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ReddyMcMeaty
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ok, can you give me instructions? I am making it RIGHT NOW. Do I braise it in a pot first then transfer it minus the water into a roasting pan in the oven, or just throw it all in the oven with water in the bottom and let the water boil off while in the oven.. what temps do you use? Im usually not so needy with recipes but I want this to be perfect.
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Scout Finch
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| Quote: | | You know how to make a man hungry .. |
And a woman.....
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adwred
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| ReddyMcMeaty wrote: | | ok, can you give me instructions? I am making it RIGHT NOW. Do I braise it in a pot first then transfer it minus the water into a roasting pan in the oven, or just throw it all in the oven with water in the bottom and let the water boil off while in the oven.. what temps do you use? Im usually not so needy with recipes but I want this to be perfect. |
Ok, this is how I do it. I score the skin first, in a cross-hatch pattern (but not all the way through to the meat - just through to the fat). Then I put in on a rack in a roasting pan with some water in the pan (helps to steam it, plus it keeps the fat from scorching onto the pan). Roast at 300 F for 1 hour, then turn the heat up to 400 F and roast for another 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 min. before slicing (if you can wait that long).
You can rub spices/salt into the cross hatch on top or you can leave it entirely unsalted and plain and it's still kick-ass.
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ReddyMcMeaty
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Thank you very much.
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adwred
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| ReddyMcMeaty wrote: | | Thank you very much. |
No problem! Oh, and the fat and skin should be puffed up, slightly. When all the little squares of skin on top are puffed up and golden brown, it's done. If some of them are still flattened down, keep roasting until puffed. Otherwise the texture won't be quite as nice.
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ReddyMcMeaty
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This just made me remember we used to eat some kind of pork roast when I was a kid that had the cross hatched skin on top, or maybe my parents were the ones who scored the flesh but YUM that crunchy top part was what I cared about most. My dad would hog it to himself though and just give us kids a little sample. Andy isn't into eating plain fat so Bjorn and I can feast together with more for us  Can you believe he actually hated fat as a kid? As a grownup he admits it's necessary for good flavour in dishes, but still doesn't like the texture of things that are greasy. He used to hate that his parents told him to butter his bread before putting the cheese and salami on it, and his grandmother would indulge him by making the sauces for their food low fat....and they would assure him that they bought ducks with very little fat on them. What a weirdo. But like I said, more for me. I frequently think of the Jack Spratt rhyme when it comes to us eating together.
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Scout Finch
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red, I'm going to the market in about an hour, and I'll talk to Brad (if he's around, otherwise Raul) about pork belly and see if they sell it. I've never actually looked for it, so I don't know if they have it or not. It does sound yummy. (And better than bacon!)
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adwred
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Nice! Say 'hi' to Brad from me.  And/or Raul. 
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Scout Finch
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Okay, San Francisco blows for pork belly.  Yep, once again, Brad said there's no demand for it, but he can trim some off for me if I let him know in advance. (He saved two chuck/eye steaks for me today.)
But it was very nice to see Brad again. There is something about a man in a white butcher coat covered in blood stains that gets me going . . .  
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adwred
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| Scout Finch wrote: | | There is something about a man in a white butcher coat covered in blood stains that gets me going . . . |
I know exactly what you mean!
I hope Avalon doesn't read this...
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barb0324
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lol, you guys are too funny...
I can't wait to make this, btw. the pork in Germany tastes so much better than here in the States, I don't know why, but I wonder if it's what they feed them? I've eaten this many times over there, but never thought to get it here. I have however made boneless pork ribs this way, and the meat is also quite fatty but more tender. I bake them in the oven until they practically fall apart, yum.
I will look for pork belly though, I really want some now. Well, next week!
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Avalon
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| Quote: | I know exactly what you mean!
I hope Avalon doesn't read this... |
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paleogirl
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I just made this. Delicious! Much nicer than grilling it.
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ecrivain
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I saw hog jowl at the store today. Do you think it'd work to cook it the same way you do your pork belly?
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adwred
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That is a good question. I assume hog jowl is kind of like pork hocks, or something. Typically you cook hocks long and slow with a moist method. But nothing on a pig is all that tough, so I don't see why you couldn't cross-hatch the skin and slow-roast until the crackling puffs up and crisps. Sounds like a fun experiment!!
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Carnation
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I haven't had the kind of hog jowls which are smoked. But on a whole roasted pig head, the cheeks are the most deeeelish part!
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ecrivain
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| adwred wrote: | | That is a good question. I assume hog jowl is kind of like pork hocks, or something. Typically you cook hocks long and slow with a moist method. But nothing on a pig is all that tough, so I don't see why you couldn't cross-hatch the skin and slow-roast until the crackling puffs up and crisps. Sounds like a fun experiment!! |
I did and it did and it was!
It puffed and crisped almost exactly like pork belly.
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