A 5- or 6-pound pork belly might seem intimidating… until you realize it isn't. Inspired by Momofuku, this two-stage cooking technique is the perfect introduction to making pork belly at home. Start with an overnight dry brine, roast the belly whole at a very high heat to kickstart the rendering process, and then drop the oven down low and slow. Once it's cooked, let it cool to room temperature, wrap it in plastic, and chill it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (and up to 2 days). Chilling tightens the meat so you can easily cut clean, beautiful slices. From there, you can pan-fry them until crispy, dice them for a stir-fry, or submerge them in a bowl of ramen. The possibilities are endless!

Because of that initial high-heat blast, we recommend using a pan that can take the heat, like cast iron or stainless steel. With the size of the Paradise Meats cut, you may need to split the belly in half and use two pans. After roasting, you’ll have a lot of delicious liquid gold left in the pan. Pour it into a mason jar and use it just like bacon grease for future cooking. For this dish, we add a generous spoonful of liquid gold to the jasmine rice before cooking it for an incredibly silky, flavorful finish.

To plate, we serve the sliced, crisped belly over that aromatic rice alongside a bright, tangy pineapple salsa, which perfectly cuts through the rich unctuousness of the pork.

Prep time: 24 hours (mostly inactive)

• Cook time: 2.5 to 3 hours
• Chill time: 4 hours (up to 2 days)
• Yields: 6–8 servings

Ingredients

For the Pork Belly & Dry Brine

• 1 skinless pork belly (4 to 6 pounds)
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground black pepper

For Serving

• Jasmine rice
• 1–2 tablespoons reserved pork fat (from the roasting pan)
• Tangy pineapple salsa (recipe below) 

 

Method

Step 1: 

1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, sugar, and black pepper.
2. Score the fat-cap of the belly in a cross-hatched diagonal pattern, making sure not to cut through the meat. This will help encourage crispy, cracklin-like rendering. 
3. Evenly rub the mixture all over the pork belly. Cover and refrigerate, ideally overnight but if you are in a pinch, a minimum of 6 hours will get the job done.

Step 2:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Remove the pork belly from the fridge and let it take the chill off at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
2. Place the belly in a high-heat-safe roasting pan (like cast iron or stainless steel), fat side up. Discard any liquid from the pan and gently shake any excess brine off the meat. 
3. Roast at 450°F for 45 minutes to kickstart the rendering process. Note: It’s going to get smoky! If your kitchen gets too smoky, you can shorten this step by 15 minutes and make up for it in the next step.
4. Turn the oven temperature down to 250°F and continue cooking for 1.5 to 2 hours (adjusted for the larger 4–6 lb size), until the meat is tender, but not mushy. 

Step 3: 

1. Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Save the fat: Carefully pour the abundant liquid fat from the pan into a mason jar. Store it in the fridge just like bacon grease to use for future cooking.
3. Once the belly has come to room temp, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (and up to 2 days). Do not skip this! Chilling tightens the meat, allowing you to easily cut clean, beautiful slices.

Step 4: 

1. Once completely chilled, cut the pork belly into thick, 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Heat a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the slices and fry for 1–2 minutes per side until hot and wonderfully crispy.
3. The Rice: While the pork crisps, cook your jasmine rice. Right before turning on the rice cooker or pot, stir a generous spoonful of your reserved pork fat into the rice and water for an incredibly silky, flavorful finish.
4. To Plate: Serve the warm, crispy pork belly slices over a bed of the aromatic jasmine rice. Top generously with the bright, tangy pineapple salsa to perfectly cut through the rich unctuousness of the pork.

Other Serving Suggestions: Top with sliced avocado, pickled red onions, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo.

Got Leftovers? Cube the pork belly to make a quick fried rice. Same ingredients, different format.

Quick Pineapple-Mint Salsa

This bright, tangy crunch is exactly what you need to cut through the rich unctuousness of the pork belly.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for extra heat)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 juicy lime (about 1 to 2 tablespoons)
• A generous pinch of salt, to taste

Method: In a medium bowl, toss all the ingredients together until well combined. Taste and add a splash more lime juice or salt if needed. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld.