Roasted Pork Belly

Source:  Bon Appetit Magazine


I skipped two weeks.  I can assure you guys that I did try more than two recipes during that hiatus, but with Easter and everything else, things were just a little a hectic, so I didn't have time to blog, take pictures etc.  And frankly, the recipes I tried weren't all that great.  So no harm no foul -- hopefully no more hiatus either.

Now for the Roasted Pork Belly

3 lb pork belly, skin removed, fat intact
2 T fresh thyme
2 T sugar
2 T kosher salt
2 t black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rings
1 c dry white wine

Using a sharp knife, score pork belly fat in a crosshatch pattern at about 3/4" intervals, taking care not to cut into the meat.

Mix thyme, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub thyme mixture on both sides of pork.  place pork in a large resealable plastic bag, and seal bag, chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 250.  Arrange onion in bottom of large heavy pot with a lid.  Rinse pork, and place fat side up on top of onion, add wine.

This is the pork right after you put it in the put -- not very appetizing, right?

Cover pot, place in oven and braise pork, basing occasionally, until fork-tender 2.5-3 hours.  increase oven temperature to 400.  Uncover pot, and cook until meat is very tender and fat is crisp and golden brown, about 1 hour longer.

This is the pork belly after a couple of hours of braising -- lots more liquid (fat?)  -- and still not looking very good.  I kept going b/c it smelled good, and b/c frankly, there was not much else to do.

And, the finished product -- much better, right?  And something you'd actually want to have for dinner.


So I picked this recipe b/c , well, I've heard about pork belly before, but never used it.  It is supposed to be a delicacy (although not a lean protein, to say the least), used in Asian cuisine a lot.  This recipe looked fairly simple (although time consuming), so I thought I'd give it a try.

I have read other people having problems sourcing the pork belly.  People on line were suggestion Asian markets or grocery stores.  I had no problem finding pork belly at Whole Foods -- $7 per pound. Not cheap, but also not terribly extravagant.

So pork belly is a very fatty cut of meat -- in fact, I think bacon comes from pork belly.

This was very easy to make.  All it took was patience.  And the smell of the pork, onion and wine in the oven while gently braising -- it was very pleasant.

The dish is good.  Incredibly rich, salty -- but very tasty.  With the time, health effects and cost involved -- I would probably not make this dish very often.