Belly

The belly includes the hog’s entire ventral area.

Did you know?

75% of pork bellies are used to prepare bacon.
Salt pork also comes from the belly and is used to make tasty lardons for soups and salads.
Spare ribs have more bone than meat. They are fattier, more tender and cheaper than back ribs. They’re used to make the tasty Chinese dish of spare ribs.

Availability

Pork belly is not always available in grocery stores. It’s best to order it from your grocer or buy it from a butcher shop.

Cooking method	Instructions
On the stove	The belly needs to first be braised or simmered. Then, it can be seared in a skillet or grilled on the BBQ. Heat some oil in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Brown the belly on all sides. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the belly is tender. Continue cooking over medium heat, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until the belly is nicely coated in sauce.
In The Oven	Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 180 ^oC (350 ^oF). Using a knife, finely score the flesh (fat part) of the belly. Season with salt and pepper. Place belly in a large oven-safe skillet and add broth. Cover and bake for 3 hours. Increase oven temperature to 220 °C (425 °F). Cook uncovered for 1 hour with the skin side up to brown. Remove belly from oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. This waiting time lets the meat rest, allowing juices to distribute evenly.
On the BBQ	Preheat the BBQ to medium-high. Grill pork belly slices over indirect heat for about 5 minutes on each side. Turn slices 2–3 times for even browning.
Sous vide	Place pork belly in a sous vide cooking bag and season to taste. Remove air from bag. Set the thermocirculator at 68 ^oC (155 ^oF) for medium-rare. Once the water reaches the desired temperature, immerse the bag in the water and leave the pork belly to cook for about 20 hours, depending on its size. Remove bag when cooking is complete.

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