Better Than Bacon {recipe}

Over Thanksgiving break, I experimented with a few marinades for our pasture-raised pork belly. I had intended to make appetizers for snacking while I cooked our dinner, but we ended up eating most of it for breakfast! It’s been fun cooking our pork belly, and the meals we’ve created have been filling and somewhat indulgent - a little bit goes a long way.

Read on for two marinades for pork belly, along with cooking instructions and a few serving suggestions. Thanks to my sister-in-law for helping me get started with mastering pork belly. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube - LauraTheGastronaut (she makes the best cooking videos)!

Sweet and Smoky Pork Belly

~1/2 lb pork belly (usually about 6 slices/half of one of our packages)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp liquid smoke (I used hickory)

¼ c. maple syrup

Pepper to taste

Savory Pork Belly

~1/2 lb pork belly (usually about 6 slices/half of one of our packages)

2 tsp adobo sauce

1 tsp salt

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp chili powder

1/3 c. orange juice

A few splashes of Cholula (if you want more spice)

Pepper to taste

For either marinade: Mix all ingredients except pork belly. Place pork belly in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade into the bag. Make sure the meat is well covered, seal the bag, and let the meat marinade for anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight.

To cook the meat: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the pork belly on a rimmed baking sheet. Do not rinse off the marinade! Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, depending on how crispy you want your pork belly to be.

Serving suggestions: Both versions could be served with crackers and cream cheese as a tasty appetizer. The sweet pork belly is wonderful on top of some oatmeal for a filling breakfast, and the savory pork belly can top some nachos or street tacos.