Pork belly

Pork belly is a boneless cut of fatty meat from the belly of a pig. Pork belly is popular in East Asian, European and North American cuisine.

Regional variations

This cut of meat is enormously popular in Chinese, Korean and Philippine cuisine.

China

In Chinese cuisine, pork belly (Chinese: 五花肉; pinyin: wǔhuāròu) is usually diced, browned then slowly braised with skin on, or sometimes marinated and cooked as a whole slab. Pork belly is used to make Slowly Braised Pork Belly (紅燒肉) or Dongpo pork (東坡肉) in China (Sweet and Sour Pork is made with pork fillet).

Colombia

In Colombian cuisine pork belly strips are fried and served as part of bandeja paisa (chicharrón).

France

In Alsatian cuisine, pork belly is used to make choucroute garnie.

Germany

In German cuisine, pork belly is used to make schlachtplatte.

Japan

In Okinawan cuisine, rafute is traditionally eaten for longevity.

Korea

Koreans cook Samgyeopsal on a grill with garlic, often accompanied by soju.

Philippines

In Philippine cuisine, pork belly (Filipino: liyempo) is marinated in a mixture of crushed garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper before being grilled. It is then served with soy sauce and vinegar (toyo’t suka) or vinegar with garlic (bawang at suka). Pork belly prepared this way is called inihaw in Filipino and sinugba in Cebuano. Seasoned pork belly deep-fried and served chopped into pieces is called lechon kawali.