A Pork Trade: Pork Belly for Rib Tips

Photo of Berkshire Pork Belly from Allen Brothers.

My cousin Ann is the best cook I know. I have been eating her fine food for years. Last week we decided to make a trade...I gave her rib tips from Tom's...she sent me pork belly from Allen Brothers...a pork trade if you will.

Everyone at my office thinks I am nuts for wanting to eat pork belly. It is actually the same part of the pig that is cured and smoked for bacon, so it's not weird to me...bacon is one of my favorite foods. And this...I will try again and again!

The best part about eating this dish for the FIRST time from Allen Brothers is that they do all the hard work for you and now I know what it's REALLY suppose to taste like. This pork comes seared on both sides then slow braised with a mixture of ponzu and veal demi-glace until tender. When I got it, all I had to do was put it in the oven (with sauce) for 20 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered. IT WAS DELICIOUS!

If you aren't in the mood to cook, but really in the mood to eat...order from Allen Brothers. Everything I've had from there is wonderful, pork belly included. I served this with mashed potatoes (made with my new potato ricer...amazing tool...to be blogged about later), a spinach salad and my sommelier at Joe's suggested a Pinot Noir: 2005 Bernard Machado from the La Cantera Vineyard in Oregon. Rich even set the table and we ate our decadent meal by candlelight.

Ann...THANK YOU...what an amazing Saturday night meal for me and Rich (after Webb was put to bed, of course).