Ridiculously juicy, impossibly tender yet still-sliceable meat, Perfect meat, perfect Roasted Pork Belly, and very flavorful, these tasty pork belly are perfect as a first course, or you could try them for breakfast instead of bacon. My favorite way to cook Pork Belly. This is a showstopper main dish that is sure to impress.
Pork belly is a fatty piece of meat that is often used to make bacon and pancetta. However, it can also be baked or roasted, resulting in flavorful and tender pork. It’s that dual texture (often in a single bite) that makes it irresistible and guaranteed to please everyone at the dinner table.
Roasted Pork Belly
I hope you’ll make this Roasted Pork Belly as soon as you get to your kitchen! And I hope you’ll love it!
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty appetizer. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need
Pork belly – Here’s what to look for to find the perfect piece of pork belly!
Even thickness – Look for a piece that is even in thickness as possible and at least 3.25 cm / 1.3″ thick, with nice layers of fat between the flesh. If it’s too thin, the flesh will cook faster and may become too tender before the required cook time needed to soften the skin in preparation for becoming ultra-crispy crackling;
Even shape – A nice even rectangle or square shape presents nicer. But unlike the thickness, it is not as important for even cooking and great crackling;
Flat skin – Seek out a piece of pork belly with dry, flat, and smooth skin as opposed wrinkled and wet like you can get with vac-packed belly. This is important for consistent crackling, and especially true where there are wrinkles – crackling never goes crispy inside the wrinkles;
Avoiding vac-packed belly is better – Freshly cut pork belly from the butcher is better than supermarket pork belly that’s been sitting in a vacuum pack for who-knows-how-long. Butcher meat is not only typically better quality, but as mentioned, vacuum-packed meat = skin soaking in wet juices + wrinkled skin = inferior crackling. While fresh pork belly – nice and dry, flat skin – amazing crackling.
Is pork belly the same as bacon?
Not exactly. While they both come from the animal’s abdomen, pork belly is a fresh cut of meat, while bacon is typically smoked, cured, and thinly sliced.
Pork belly is typically sold whole. But even when it’s sliced, the slices are typically much thicker than bacon slices. And again, the meat is fresh – not cured, smoked, dried, or salted.
What you need to make the best Roasted Pork Belly
Here’s what you need to make Roasted Pork Belly.
Pork belly is such a flavourful and rich cut, that all we need is few simple seasoning – you don’t need anything more!
I’ve summarised how to make this pork belly in a few short steps earlier. Here is now my usual process step description and photos with plenty of detail so you can be confident you’ll nail your perfect pork belly first go!
Serve this pork belly with beans, scalloped potatoes, or mac and cheese.
Smoked paprika: I love the smoky flavor it adds to this dish. It’s easy to find it in the supermarket next to the other spices.
How To Make Roasted Pork Belly
Gather the ingredients, cut Pork Belly into pieces and sprinkle pork belly all over with salt.
Prepare seasoning, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, chili paprika and sprinkle pork belly all over with seasoning and rest pork belly for 50 min.
Sprinkle with peppercorns, place a bay leaf on top and wrap in parchment paper.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (180°), place pork belly pieces and Roast for 50 min.
Roasted Pork Belly is Ready! I hope you enjoy this super easy Roasted Pork Belly, can’t wait to hear what you think!
Bon appetit!
What ingredients Are In Roasted Pork Belly
Roasted Pork Belly
Perfect meat, perfect fatty, and very flavorful, these tasty pork belly are perfect as a first course, or you could try them for breakfast instead of bacon. My favorite way to cook Pork Belly. This is a showstopper main dish that is sure to impress.
4
servings5
minutes50
minutesIngredients
3 pounds (1.5 kg) Pork belly
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Paprika
1/3 tsp. Chili
1/3 tsp. Black pepper
10 – 13 Peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
Bay Leafs
Directions
- Cut Pork Belly into pieces.
- Sprinkle pork belly all over with salt.
- Combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, chili paprika and sprinkle pork belly all over with seasoning.
- Rest pork belly pieces for 50 min.
- Sprinkle with peppercorns, place a bay leaf on top and wrap in parchment paper.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (180°), place pork belly pieces and Roast for 50 min.
- Bon Appetit!
Recipe Video
Storage Roasted Pork Belly
Storage: can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing Roasted pork belly can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. The crackling will lose its texture once thawed but the meat will still be delicious. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw completely in the fridge before using.
More Delicious Comfort Food
You may also like this Best Pork Blanquette A traditional French dish of slow cooked Pork, is French cuisine at its best!
Of course, one of the Creamy Mustard Chicken Thighs deliciously creamy, easy to make and all made in one skillet!
Some of the best comfort foods, Best Creamy Beans Recipe!