Proud owner of a pork belly. Now what??

[purple goddess]

Yes, it's that time of the week when I pop up to the shops to do the banking, and because I work in Little Asia, I cannot pass up the chance to buy something lush and go home and do things with it. (last week was the duck, complete with head and feet)

So how could I resist the siren song of $5.00kg pork belly??

I have prolly 1.5-2kgs worth. I have some dried asian mushrooms, a jar of something that loosely translates to "spare rib marinade", some wom bok, some bok choy and some snake beans..also picked up some pink shallotts, and some fresh tamarind. Have most general asian must haves in the cupboard.

Speak to me, Chow hounds, of how I should prepare ma belly??

[bitsubeats]

My mother made this for me when I went to visit her:

take a packet of natto and smash up the beans (not too much).
stir fry with slices of pork belly and minced garlic.
add soft tofu, korean chile flakes (gochugaru), water, and maybe some clear beef stock if you like
boil and garnish with green onions

serve with heaping bowl of fresh rice

omg so delicious

[FoodFuser]

Like HLing said, c'mon over to http://www.chowhound.com/topics/385607?query=buta , where DaCook is devouring lots of pork this week in an effort to perfect the technique of butakakuni.

Since this is a general Pork Belly thread, I was stimulated to enter the labyrinth of my FireFox bookmarks and see what was there under "belly". There are several below that approach belly from other Asian and non-asian perspectives:

http://www.aromacookery.com/aromacookery/2004/10/braised_pork_be.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/braisedbellyofpork_11369.shtml

http://www.eatmanifesto.com/Recipes/Chinese%20Recipes/porkbelly

http://www.okiu.ac.jp/Language/contest/01/06/rafute.htm

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107355

http://www.baxterstorey.com/interactive/recipes.vc?VChid3=Mvf64s8RsCpOSJfDInybcEnkBsXq--FJ

http://www.manthatcooks.com/2005/09/hal-hartley-pork-belly-braised-with.html

http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/food...

[purple goddess]

You guys are da BOMB!!!

I am happy to report I used a fusion of ingredients and techniques. I simmered the belly whole in water for a few minutes, as per Da Cook's thread and skimmed off any nasty bits.

Patted dry and then marinated in hoisin, light soy, grated ginger, shallotts, dry sherry, brown sugar, five-spice and schezhuan peppercorns for about 5 hours. (I was tempted to use the "spare rib marinade" the butcher sold me, but it smelled too "fake caramel" if ya know what I mean)

I let the pork come to room temp and laid it whole in a braising dish, on a bed of wom bok, snakes beans, bok choy, sliced shallotts and reconsituted mushies. Poured on the liquor from the mushies, the marinade, more dry sherry, some mirin, a cup of oolong tea (the liquor, not the leaves!) and topped it up with water, to just cover the vegies.

Whacked it in a low oven (about 160c) for about 4 hours, well sealed with alfoil (it would have been less, but I wet out to get some noodles and BLEW UP THE ENGINE ON MY CAR!!!.. **ahem** sorry, I digress), and then gave it another hour uncovered on 220c.

Took belly out of the broth to stand for 10 mins, whacked said noodles in the broth, carved, served with lovely smokey fried spring onions (the wonderful golden brown bought ones).

Can I say SCOFF-O-RAMA!!!!

[zuriga1]

I'd check out some UK foodie websites. Pork Belly is a big thing here. You could try Delia or www.goodfood.co.uk etc. Or just Google for more ideas.

[pilinut]

Pork confit, but only if the skin is still on. Cut the pork into 3 to 4 inch squares. Salt generously and leave in the fridge overnight. Pack them into a pot with a dozen garlic cloves, a few of bay leaves, and some peppercorns and thyme. Add enough melted pork fat or homemade lard and olive oil to cover. Simmer until very tender. Place the pork pieces into a container and strain the liquid fat over it to cover. Keep the pork in the fridge a few days, at least. (I've kept it a couple of weeks--then eaten it all--so I can't say how long it stays good buried in fat.)

Heat up your oven to 400F. Fish the pork chunks out of the fat. (You can re-use the fat.) Bake the pork on a rack until golden-brown and the skin is crisp all over.

[HLing]

In case you've missed this thread:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/38560...

[purple goddess]

Hling..

is it wrong that I read that thread and wanted to lick the screen???

[HLing]

well, as the ancient Chinese wisdom goes that would be, "drawing pictures of bread to ease your hunger pain"..they didn't have computer moniters back then....