Sliced pork belly experiment

[GON]

Yesterday I saw sliced unprocessed pork belly at the grocery. I have never cooked or used unprocessed pork belly. I have used bacon for decades and really enjoy all types of bacon.

Originally, I put the pork belly in a cast iron skillet under low heat and seasoned with salt. I did not like the smell, so moved the pork belly to the grill. I seasoned the pork belly with McCormick's garlic and herb seasoning. I am not fond of the results. Edible, but bacon seems so very much better.

With the half a package of pork belly left, I will put on the Traeger smoker and see if results change. As of this moment, I will not be buying pork belly in the future.

 

[Malo83]

We didn't like it either, gave the rest to my happy dog.

 

[mccandish]

We purchased a tray similar to yours (pre-sliced) at Costco a while back and cured it into bacon. We have a smoker but left it unsmoked.



It turned out great but was sliced too thick for our tastes - quite a bit of chew. I would like to try again with an unsliced belly and process and slice it to the thickness we like. Keep trying! There are lots of recipes out there and you're sure to find something you like!

 

[vavavroom]

Look for some Korean and Japanese recipes that use pork belly.

 

[UG_Passat]

Pork belly needs to be seasoned properly to be good, just other cuts of the pig itself. since pork is relatively flavorless.

 

[53' Stude]

Yesterday I saw sliced unprocessed pork belly at the grocery. I have never cooked or used unprocessed pork belly. I have used bacon for decades and really enjoy all types of bacon.

Originally, I put the pork belly in a cast iron skillet under low heat and seasoned with salt. I did not like the smell, so moved the pork belly to the grill. I seasoned the pork belly with McCormick's garlic and herb seasoning. I am not fond of the results. Edible, but bacon seems so very much better.

With the half a package of pork belly left, I will put on the Traeger smoker and see if results change. As of this moment, I will not be buying pork belly in the future.

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GON: I love how you use cast iron. I have a bunch even a very old well seasoned Dutch oven.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

GON: I love how you use cast iron. I have a bunch even a very old well seasoned Dutch oven.

Been camping all weekend and using the Dutch oven for cooking chicken potatoes green beans with mushroom soup and popcorn. We usually make a deep dish pizza and hungry man breakfast casserole. This weekend was the cast iron griddle for bacon and eggs.

I remember getting my first skillet about 25 years ago and my family thought I was nuts. They love when I cook bacon in it though!

Just my $0.02

 

[53' Stude]

Yeah, I always get some ham ends and pieces from local butcher to make a nice fat layer for cooking in my cast iron.

 

[wemay]

Looks fabulous!

We cook it in the air fryer with only, salt, pepper, garlic and a little brown sugar.

 

[GON]

Looks fabulous!

We cook it in the air fryer with only, salt, pepper, garlic and a little brown sugar.

Maybe brown sugar was the missing ingredient.

 

[Oillover]

Maybe brown sugar was the missing ingredient.

Considering most bacon sold at restaurants and grocery stores is seasoned/cured with some sort of sugar, I think you may be onto something.

 

[y_p_w]

It might be OK fried as bacon, but then it needs to be smoked first. I've seen thin sliced, skin-on pork belly sold for Korean BBQ. This is called Samgyupsal Gui.

Pork belly is actually quite tough, or at least the protein layers are. My Chinese-American friends have served it thin sliced, steamed, and then dipped in a garlic/soy sauce dip. Just cooked it's pretty bland and kind of chewy. But the big one is "red braised pork" which has to be slow cooked to break down the proteins to the point where it just melts like butter in the mouth.

 

[vavavroom]

Thinly sliced pork belly cooked in stock, mirin, with some soy sauce, cooked for at least 30 minutes turns out nice and soft for me. Good with tofu and shirataki noodles. I just had some. I ate it before I had a chance to take a picture. I got home late and was very hungry,

 

[Shannow]

I do a roast whole belly once a fornight or so...salt, some herbs and pepper and roast, or on the Weber.

and regularyl buy "rashers" which are around 3/4" thick, in the broiler, or the oven with salt and pepper, and then either an asian of BBQ sauce to bake in to finish...it's best if you get the skin to crackle.

Or chopped and stir fried if you like the sticky chewy skin.

It's a fave here...but YES, sometimes pork has a "urine" smell, infrequent, but it happens.

Pork and Genes: How Pork Smells Genetically Determined, Says Study

A new study found that the smell of pork may in part be determined by human genes.

abcnews.go.com

 

[ctechbob]

AvE of all people did some bacon a while back. Been curious to try it, just haven't gotten around to it yet (slight language warning):