Pork Belly

Who here has eaten some, how was it fixed, did you put anything on it, did you like it, if not, why not?

I've eaten it. It was in a restaurant. It was fatty. I hated it.
 
Oh, it had fantastic taste. But I found it rather disgusting.

I've had it several ways. The latest was at a Colombian restaurant. This is as part of the "Country Dinner", the Bandeja Paisa. There is shared the plate with Colombian chorizo, a grilled beef steak, fried sweet plantains, green plantains, rice, beans, avocado and an arepa. If I wanted to, I could have also upped the cholesterol quotient by getting it with the traditional fried egg on top. The pork belly, called chicharon in Colombia, had that combination of soft and crispy that you just can't acieive with bacon. It was amazing. 
 

 

 

 
Fatty, yes. Bad for my health, almost certainly. Delicious, absolutely. I've also had it as a meat at a Korean Barbecue, cooked on the grill and melting with flavor. I've had it at a Japanese ramen house (Santouka Ramen) that I like to go to, the meat just before the falling apart stage and topping a delicious pork-based broth and noodles. It may not be something I'd get all the time, but as a treat, it's really special.
 

Ed, are those the pictures from the American Heart association luncheon..

I'm saving them for the next time I see a cardiologist. Thank goodness for Lovastatin!

Pork Belly is just another name for Bacon.  It's usually fresh (not cured) and thicker cut (sometimes not).   In the south, it's floured/breaded then deep fried crisp.

I've had it at The Nook in West Los Angeles.  It was braised in Chinese spices and served as an appetizer.
 
The flavor was great, but the consistency was that of gooey, layered fat.  I'm ruled by the consistency of foods and this one was not edible by my standards.
 
I'll be making a Korean pork belly dish as part of my Mother's Day and I'll let you know what everyone things... if I remember.  Seems that I'm having senior moments.

No wonder you got a seniors menu.

It's got to be good.
It's heavily traded on the Futures and commoditys board at the Chi. Mercantile.
Chow Jim 

When I'm smoking something on my grill, such as ribs or a pork butt I'll throw a couple of these toslow cook along with whatever the main course is.

I get tham at the meat counter at my local Fairway market.

Very rich and tasty!

I've had two "sandwiches" with pork belly, and I enjoyed both.
Kurobata Pork Belly in Bao Bun

 
I don't know how it was cooked, although I think it was finished on a flat-top grill.  The sauce is a house concoction sort of like a sweetened Sriracha.  It was good!
 
 
This is sort of self-explanatory:

 

 

 
I just wanted to gobble this down! 
 
 
 
 
 

Too much fat.  My stomach couldn't handle it regardless of how it's prepared.

Agnesrob, that looks wonderful but I could only eat about an inch or so of it.

I smoke the belly for 14 hours then cool it, slice it about 1/4 in thick, put it on our flattop, crisp it, most of the fat is rendered off, there is a little, just as on a slice of bacon, served as a sandwich or platter, not 1 too fatty complaint, yet!

agnesrob


When I'm smoking something on my grill, such as ribs or a pork butt I'll throw a couple of these toslow cook along with whatever the main course is.

I get tham at the meat counter at my local Fairway market.

Very rich and tasty!

That looks fantastic!!

agnesrob


When I'm smoking something on my grill, such as ribs or a pork butt I'll throw a couple of these toslow cook along with whatever the main course is. 

I get tham at the meat counter at my local Fairway market.
 
Very rich and tasty!

 
It does look delicious, agnesrob. What do you use for seasoning on it?

EdSails

agnesrob


When I'm smoking something on my grill, such as ribs or a pork butt I'll throw a couple of these toslow cook along with whatever the main course is. 

I get tham at the meat counter at my local Fairway market.

Very rich and tasty!

It does look delicious, agnesrob. What do you use for seasoning on it?

Not to step on agnusrob's toes, but Montreal works well as a commercial rub

Agreed Chewingthefat! I think I used Tony Chechere's, though!

Well it looks dangerous but delicious. May just have to try grilling some this week.