# Looking for a pork belly recipe



## rpmcmurphy (Jan 8, 2008)

I'm not familiar at all with cooking it.....just eating it, usually braised and usually I've had it not in the US. (although maybe once or twice at Restaurant Nicholas) 

Anyone have any recipes? what does it go well with? etc. 

Pass by it daily in the grocery store (yeah, I got one o' dem GOOD (Asian) stores!)


----------



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Maybe this will help:

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Seaso...Transcript.htm

EA1E12: Scrap Iron Chef

shel


----------



## lissajane (Aug 12, 2008)

I used to cook a lot of pork belly before moving to US, but have difficulty finding it here, but I have found a site that some nice recipes.
Pork Belly Recipe


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

> My favourite...No-one else in the family will eat belly pork, so it's a self-indulgent week-long, in the fridge and heat up when required recipe.
> It takes ages to cook. but its soooo worth it. The skin is crisp, not hard and the meat is falling apart.
> This is my own recipe
> 
> ...


----------



## rpmcmurphy (Jan 8, 2008)

sounds good, what is gas 8 translate to? 

going to try it next week (on vacation)


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Hot - about 450 F.

mjb.


----------



## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Sounds delish - pork belly is only just becoming available in my location.

As with you - I'm the only one who will eat it in the household here - they don't know whwat they are missing 

What temp would gas 2 convert to in Celsius (metric country here/or I can work out deg F.)? I don't think we have pear cider avail - would apple cider/juice do as well, do you think?


This may sound like a silly question - with scoring the skin - is it as for a pork leg roast (straight lines), or as for a glazed ham (diamonds)? I'm guessing it really wouldn't matter  mostly personal preference. How do you do it?


thanks, DC


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Gas Marks are equivalent to a 25 F step. Gas Mark 1 is 275 F, so gas mark 2 is 300 F, or close to 150 C.

And I thought it might have been on this forum, maybe another, where I saw some nice pictures of a Chinese style red cooked pork belly. It did sound really good.

mjb.


----------



## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Aha - mystery solved - Thanks Teamfat


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Pictures sounded good? Who wrote that nonsense??

mjb.


----------



## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

I'm sorry about the gas temps. I assumed wrongly that it was something we had in common. Converting degrees C, F and gas is always something I have to look up.
Same with cups.
Now that we've gone metric in the uk it's all kilos and grammes. Before it was Lbs and Oz.
I much prefer the US system of cups. But you still have to check to see if its US UK or Australian measurements in a recipe as they're all different.

Re. pork belly. Scoring the skin is however you prefer, just plenty of it to give more surface to frazzle and don't take it down to the flesh.
Apple cider works fine. I used it before i discovered pear.

By the way, the plums go into the pan while the pork is cooking so they're sqidgy.
I watched chinese belly pork being cooked on a Rick Stein tv programme and adapted it to suit. I've never cooked it Chinese style properly. But I will one day


----------



## rpmcmurphy (Jan 8, 2008)

Should have tried one of the recipes you guys suggested....stole one from Jean-Georges asian cookbook and it didn't come out very well....way too vinegary..

here is the recipe I tried.

Braised Pork-Belly w/ Shallot-Ginger confit 
~adapted from Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges~
(serves 4)


Braised Pork Belly:



One 2-pound piece pork belly

3 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 small bunch fresh thyme

1 small bunch fresh parsley stems

1 1/2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Shallot-Ginger Confit:


1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shallots

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh ginger

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Salt
Finishing:


1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
-------------------


Preheat the oven to 300'F.



To make the braised pork: Put all the braised pork ingredients in a Dutch oven or casserole. Add enough water to cover the pork and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the pork is tender, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.



Meanwhile, make the shallot-ginger confit: Put the shallots, ginger, and honey in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until it has evaporated. Add 1/2 cup water and turn the heat to low. Simmer the mixture until it is almost dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.



Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put the honey in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook until thickened and a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir well. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a tablespoon of water.



Divide the shallot-ginger confit among the plates and top with the pork. Serve warm with steamed rice or crusty bread.










here are some process pictures. 













































I wouldn't recommend it....it says if it's too thick at the end to add water....I don't think there is any way it could have been thick....unless it was the cheap honey I used. or perhaps the red wine vinegar I used (cento brand?)


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

How was the pork belly itself?

In just over a week we have our final dinner hike of the season, and I'm trying to decide what to prepare. At this time of the year the nights are too short for the usual routine of stuffing everything in a pack, hiking for an hour or so, then sitting down to dinner on fallen logs and somewhat flat rocks. So we park the cars by picnic tables, walk through the mountains a bit, then back to the cars and tables for dinner.

I was thinking that I could haul my Weber Kettle up to the appointed spot, fire it up, pull some braised pork belly chunks out of the cooler and crisp them up over the charcoal. Served with a dipping sauce or two ( or would that be a dressing? ) they might be tasty. Kind of like pig wings instead of chicken. I had thought about hauling the smoker up there that morning [ http://hoosierq.com/Images/hauling_ash.jpg ] and spending the day preparing barbecue, but Q is done when it is done, and I'd hate to still be waiting for the butts to get out of the stall while everyone else is having dessert. So something that just needs to be reheated seems like a better option.

mjb.


----------



## rpmcmurphy (Jan 8, 2008)

the pork belly itself was good. reminded me of some hong kong dim sum dishes.


----------

