pork belly

Also known as: Crispy Pork Belly

The fatty, boneless cut of pork from the belly -- the same cut bacon is made from, though sold fresh and uncured rather than cured and smoked -- typically rendered slowly until the fat turns tender and the skin or exterior crisps. Its high, even fat content is what makes it forgiving to cook low and slow, and what makes the skin capable of crisping dramatically.

Buying guidance

Look for a slab with a good ratio of visible fat layers to lean meat -- a piece that's mostly lean cooks up dry and misses the point of the cut. If crisp skin is the goal, buy skin-on belly and make sure the skin is dry before cooking (pat it and let it air-dry uncovered in the fridge), since a wet surface steams instead of crisping.

Substitutions

Fatty pork shoulder -- less dramatic fat rendering and no skin to crisp, but a workable braise substitute.
Thick-cut uncured bacon -- already partially rendered and smoked, so both flavor and cook time differ.
Skin-on pork belly of a different thickness than called for -- fine to use; just adjust cook time to the actual thickness on hand.

Tips & common mistakes

Skipping a shallow crosshatch score through the fat cap or skin before cooking often leaves the belly cooking unevenly -- unscored fat can prevent heat from penetrating consistently and makes the slab curl as it cooks, so some areas turn chewy and rubbery instead of crisp.

Storage

Because it's so fat-marbled, pork belly holds up to freezing far better than leaner cuts like chops -- freeze it raw, well wrapped, for months without much texture loss, whereas the same treatment leaves a lean chop noticeably drier once thawed.