Pork Belly Search

[janzy]

Does anyone know where I might be able to buy some pork bellies in the Boston area?
I'm looking to make some bacon with them.

[RichardinJP]

HiLo Supermarket in Hyde Square (Jamaica Plain). Excellent cuts!

[ecdopfel]

This isn't such a hot topic, huh? But now that the weather's turned colder, I'm on the hunt. It's braisin' season, afterall!

I've seen some beautiful specimens at BaZA on Highland Ave. in Newton, but they haven't had it recently. Also recall seeing scrawnier versions at the Hi-Lo in Hyde Square. But Whole Foods said they can't order it and it's nowhere to be seen in Roche Brothers.

Has anyone seen pork belly lying around at any grocery store or butchers in the JP/Newton vicinity? Does it make a regular appearance in the Dorchester Super88 coolers?

Help a hungry girl out!

[itaunas]

Is Newmarket Square close enough to JP? Between Lord Jeffs and Taurus you should be able to get it. Also Puritan Beef does validate the parcel 9 garage (they were trying to get rid of this) and always has it, so is another option and its not too bad from the pike depending on the hour. Its almost always at the Super88 in Malden along with some other similar cuts for braising, but as noted above its usually cut into smaller pieces not slabs.

[kobuta]

I've seen them at larger Super88's where they have the onsite butcher. Pork belly is common in chinese cooking, and I've seen it available at other larger chinese markets as well.

[janzy]

I never had good luck at Lord jeff's. Got some bad cryovac wrapped packer's cut of brisket a while ago.
I've ben getting some good whole pork bellies at Super 88 and Kan Man in Quincy.
Once I got past the english-chinese language barrier I was golden!
I just got an 11 lb belly a couple of weeks ago that's hanging in my cellar now, being transformed into Pancetta. I got it in Quincy at Kan Man for $2.59 a pound.

[PinchOfSalt]

I've purchased large (several pounds) slabs of pork belly at the C-Mart on Washington Street in Chinatown. It is right in the display case where the butchers stand.

[grant.cook]

I have gotten smaller portions at Super 88, and got a large one for a dinner party at Savenors

[Small Plates]

I have purchased them at Whole Foods on Prospect Street as well as at Savenor's on Kirkland Street (both Cambridge). There is nothing like making your own Pork Rillettes. Delicious. (I am currently awaiting a delivery from the bellies of a friend's pig and will be curious to see if there is any difference in fresh-from-slaughter product vs. purchasing at the butcher!)

[itaunas]

If you are looking for it downtown, Blackstone Meat Market usually has them both with and without rind. Market Basket also carries it, but on display its usually cut up (depending on the store/local ethnicity they offer it several ways) -- but you can usually ask the butcher for whatever you want. Some places that usually let you order anything (McKinnon's) only intermittently carry them because they don't have the turnover needed to order a 50lb box, still doesn't hurt to ask.

[ScubaSteve]

any of the larger Asian markets.
C-mart
Super 88 et al.

[9lives]

I've always been very pleased with the pork belly from both those places.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Third. The Super 88 in Allston has lovely pork belly.

[janzy]

I got some yesterday at Super 88 in Dorchester.
They look very nice, but rather small in size. I was hoping for larger ones.
Thanks

[itaunas]

Blackstone mentioned below offers half-bellies which are just right for a slab (and also someone like Lord Jeff's which is pretty easy access from south bay should be able to provide halves or whole pieces, depends because they might have frozen stock). I hoped to check them out yesterday to confirm what they had out and also to buy a few with rind for my own projects, but already overpaid for parking at another downtown spot.

[itaunas]

Correction that its Puritan Beef, not Blackstone and they had both rind-on/off ($2.19/$2.69lb). Rind-on were a bit larger. They also validate Parcel 7 garage.

[ScubaSteve]

the ones i get at C-Mart are about 5" across and 12" long, how much smaller are they at Super 88?

[janzy]

they are about 2 inches across by 8 inches long.