Pork Bellies, Part III
We ate the remainder of the pork bellies last night and it was a real learning experience.
My first suspicions were confirmed - they do go better with a nice mixed green salad. As an added bonus, the Mrs. made a terrific Dijon-balsamic vinaigrette that I tossed the greens in before topping the plates with the freshly crisped and heated-through belly.
The bellies themselves were much tastier this time as I trimmed off most of the thick fat layer and also split them horizontally before searing them off in my cast-iron skillet. The way they were sold to me was in thick slabs that had alternating muscle and fat layers and it dawned on me that "hey, that's not how bacon looks!" So for next time I now know to slice the pieces horizontally at the start of the process. What this did was give one a nice, thin crispy-creamy fat layer on a nice, now-thicker-than-the-fat layer of meat.
Of course, now I have a zip-top bag in the freezer containing about a third of a pound of trimmed, braised belly fat. I think I can figure out a way to use it though....maybe as cooking fat for homemade potato chips? Not exactly heart-healthy, but probably delicious!
Tonight is my wife's always-fine Shepherd's pie made with pasture-raised humanely farmed ground lamb. Can't wait for dinner!
My first suspicions were confirmed - they do go better with a nice mixed green salad. As an added bonus, the Mrs. made a terrific Dijon-balsamic vinaigrette that I tossed the greens in before topping the plates with the freshly crisped and heated-through belly.
The bellies themselves were much tastier this time as I trimmed off most of the thick fat layer and also split them horizontally before searing them off in my cast-iron skillet. The way they were sold to me was in thick slabs that had alternating muscle and fat layers and it dawned on me that "hey, that's not how bacon looks!" So for next time I now know to slice the pieces horizontally at the start of the process. What this did was give one a nice, thin crispy-creamy fat layer on a nice, now-thicker-than-the-fat layer of meat.
Of course, now I have a zip-top bag in the freezer containing about a third of a pound of trimmed, braised belly fat. I think I can figure out a way to use it though....maybe as cooking fat for homemade potato chips? Not exactly heart-healthy, but probably delicious!
Tonight is my wife's always-fine Shepherd's pie made with pasture-raised humanely farmed ground lamb. Can't wait for dinner!
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