Pork belly is probably one of the most underappreciated pork cuts. I think this is due to the visible big amounts of fat in it and also because we have such a variety to choose from nowadays. 

However, animal fat, if consumed moderately, is actually very good for you. It features some important fatty acids and amino acids that otherwise can be only obtained through consumption of artificially manufactured vitamins. Besides, when cooked properly, pork belly is simply divine.

One awesome thing about pork belly is that it can be eaten straight out of the oven and it can be also refrigerated and further used for a variety of recipes. I use mine for sandwiches, for different noodle-based soups and just as a cold cut. 

Fatwise, pork belly is indeed pretty heavy on fat. But if we think about how much non-obvious fats we consume, pork belly is actually not so bad, you will get much more fat from a serving of deep-fried chicken than from a moderate amount of baked pork belly.

There are a few tips to make your pork belly perfect. The fat, when baked, can get quite wobbly. For it to have a denser texture, I personally recommend wrapping your pork belly in a bit of kitchen rope or thread. It’s also much more tasty when it’s cold, in my opinion. 

Rubbing it with salt and seasoning and leaving it overnight is also better than cooking it straight away. This way, it will be salted and seasoned all through.

Other than that, just follow the simple instructions below to cook a perfect pork belly.

Wondering how long to cook pork belly to perfections? Find out in this article