Enough politics

Pork belly
Prague powder #2 (curing salt)
kosher salt
brown sugar
real maple syrup
Black pepper

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-chops-pulled-pork-ham-an...


You got a smoker or something that can generate smoke for 2 hours?

I don't know your local butcher…

I finally found a source of really good pork belly. I've purchased it from Whole Foods, HEB and several other local sources. Try to get a fresh one that hasn't been frozen. If you have a butcher you use, they should have it. If not, they can order it for you. Usually two days max. Read the instructions/recipe and follow them to the letter. Best results are to cut into 1 pound blocks and put 2 pounds in a gallon ziplock bag. Rotate and massage them daily! Don't make the mistake of stacking them on top of each other, be sure to lay them flat in the fridge and don't cram them together. The marinade won't penetrate the meat and you'll have smoked pork belly without much flavor. I made that mistake once and wasted 6 pounds of meat.

I’d like to try that with my smoker. Same question as LB, pork belly from grocery store?

First time I made it I bought it from Whole Foods. They have it cut and trimmed to 1 pound portions in their butcher case. I bought three or four pounds just to see if we liked it. We did. Since then I've purchased the whole belly from various sources. Most grocery stores have it in the back and you just have to ask for it. The are usually frozen, but my HEB will order them fresh for customers if you don't mind waiting a day or two. I've since found a butcher that has fresh organic farm raised heritage hoity toity pork belly. It's expensive, but the taste and marbling is the best I've found; I think it's worth the extra expense. That's another thing, you're not going to do this for less money than store bought packaged bacon. Again, the difference is worth it to me and my family loves it.

If you're a crispy bacon fan, this might not be for you. You have to cook it a bit lower and slower but it never gets crunchy. That crunch in store bought bacon? It does that because they inject water into it!

The rest of the stuff is basic store brands. The real maple syrup (another reason this bacon costs more) works with any brand of grade in my opinion. If there's one on sale, that's what I'm using and I've never had that be an issue. Let me know how it turns out or if you have any more questions.

Edited by mdg2003 2018-04-11 6:50 PM

As the coastal elite in this forum I have to ask, do you serve that with red or white wine?

Chocolate milk.

That should read grade B maple syrup. You can use the better stuff, but it seems to come out the same either way. Just as long as we're not going with Aunt Jemima!

Tomorrow I have to slice and package it. That's a good 2 hour job.

Edited by mdg2003 2018-04-11 8:59 PM

I wish I could accurately describe the aroma.





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Slap some of that between two pieces of Wonder bread and you got you some kinda sammich!

Once I get it stacked, I'm going to fry up some end pieces and do that. A little mayo and a slab of cheddar.

Like this.. …. .. .





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You're a jerk.  

Man, that looks good!

Edited by Left Brain 2018-04-12 10:48 AM

I'm drooling now. Too close to lunch to be posting pix of food.

Last weekend I fried up a slab of bacon. I made BSLs. We didn't have any lettuce so I used fresh spinach. My wife was about to head out to go trail riding and I knew I would eat that entire slab of bacon if left alone with it. So I quickly made my wife 2 BSLs for her ride and put in them in sammich baggies. It was brilliant! I avoided the temptation to overeat and I was a hero for being so thoughtful to Mrs Rogillio. I did not mention my 'ulterior motive'.