The Pork Belly Paradox

[mk05]

This is a Blueberry Tea Smoked Pork Belly...get that antioxidant. I'm not a huge pork belly fan with all the fat content, so I tried to render as much as possible. You can do this in your oven. I just did it in my smoker so I could have an excuse to light up a cigar...or three.

Ingredients:

- good slab, I think mine was ~3lbs

- 2 bags worth of blueberry tea

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- half a stalk of lemongrass, fine-diced

- 1 tsp ginger powder

- 1 tsp cinnamon powder

- 1 tsp flour

- several peels of mandarin oranges

- salt to season pork belly

Procedure:

- Season pork with salt, not too much. This exercise is to experience lush fruit flavors in pork.

- In a bowl, combine the tea leaf, sugar, lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, flour, and orange peels. Make sure the mix is even.

- Score the skin of the pork so you can get the pork crisp later.

- Measure out aluminum foil that is big enough to wrap the pork belly.

- Rub the skin side of the pork belly with the mix. Get it into the scored parts as well.

- Pour rest of mix on to the aluminum foil, and lay the pork belly on it, skin-side down.

- wrap it up, and smoke it for 4 hrs at 250

- unwrap, let the pork skin/fat re-congeal, for the skin-crispening and smoking process. Heat a non-stick pan, or get the grill/smoker hot.

- High heat, skin-side down, cover lid. Get good color on that skin and watch that smoke fill inside the pan. It's fairly quick, check the skin to keep from burning.

- garnish as liked, little more salt/pepper to taste.

Outcome:

This will smell/taste intensely of blueberry, lemon-y yet orange-y sweet pork.

[Larsy]

My god does that look good!

[Ken Gargett]

i'd eat it!

[Jeremy Festa]

Want

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[Optic101]

It sounds delicious reading your post, then the picture ...... Looks sooo good.

And your presentation, wow that's great.

Well done.

[Natedog]

Very nice! The combo of FLAVORS sound delicious. The photo looks great! Nice job!!!!

[Surucipe]

That looks absolutely delicious! I'd want to give that a try myself. Unfortunately the grilling season here is over for at least another 4-5 months. Ah well, something to look fwd to then.

[Colt45]

Nice!

[Ginseng]

Reads and look great!

Wilkey

[REASON]

Thanks for sharing, Wish it wasn't -27 here. I would try it this weekend.

[ckearns]

That looks spectacular!

[ckearns]

For those who are drooling like I am, but the cooler weather is a deterrent for making mk's recipe, I've used the following Ramsay recipe with scrumptious results:

Video:

Text: http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/roast-loin-of-pork-pressed-belly-of-pork-caramelised-apple-wedges-with-broccoli-and-mustard-mash-recipe

Its dead easy to make and tastes unbelievably good. I hope you enjoy.

[potpest]

Pork belly is amazing stuff

[rcarlson]

OMG!!!

I just reflexively took a bite out of my own arm.

Darn that looks good!

[mk05]

Thanks for sharing, Wish it wasn't -27 here. I would try it this weekend.

You can do this in your oven and then onto your stove top! As with American-style smoking, Asian-smoking is usually the last 1/5th of cooking time. In my opinion, you don't want to smoke meats the entire time, bc the meat will become overpowered by the smoke and end up too astringent and bitter. Cooking is about balance!

For those who are drooling like I am, but the cooler weather is a deterrent for making mk's recipe, I've used the following Ramsay recipe with scrumptious results...

Gordon is my hero. Big flavors in balance.

[REASON]

I will give it a go this weekend I think!

[ckearns]

Gordon is my hero. Big flavors in balance.

I agree. He's a great cook with very good technique. Unfortunately his skills are overshadowed by his tv persona.

[mk05]

I agree. He's a great cook with very good technique. Unfortunately his skills are overshadowed by his tv persona.

Couldn't have said it better myself. As if anyone can get 3 Michelin Stars just because he has TV shows? Give me a break.

[LGC]

The last time I cooked pork belly, I braised it in a soy sauce based mixture first. Then I chilled it, cut it into thick strips, and flash fried it to crisp up the skin. I need to do this again.

Ramsey is one of my favorite chefs on TV, along with Jamie Oliver.

[worlok]

pork belly is the butter of meats - a buffet place near where I used to work in NYC did it with a side green chili sauce.... I actually lost weight eating that when doing low carb

[Trimming]

Sounds amazing !