Pork belly is delicious. Whether it’s cured, smoked and turned into bacon; cured, rolled and tied for pancetta or simmered in shaoxing wine and soy sauce for red cooked pork, pork belly is one of the most incredibly succulent foods on the face of the earth. For the last few years I have been buying pork belly to make my own bacon (click here to learn how to make you own bacon.)
This recipe for Roasted Pork Belly with Grits and Gravy is a delicious way to enjoy pork belly with a Southern flair. You may need to ask your grocer’s butcher to order pork belly, most chain grocery stores don’t normally carry it. If you live near an Asian market you may be able to find it there. Be sure to ask for a meaty portion of pork belly that comes from closer to the front of the animal.
Pork Belly and Grits #recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound pork belly with the skin on
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup stone ground grits
- 2 green onions chopped optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 275 degrees
- Pat the top of the pork belly dry
- With a sharp knife score the skin of the pork belly with straight lines 1/2 inch apart down it's length.
- Rub the pork belly with salt, rosemary and garlic powder.
- Line a roasting pan with foil and place the pork belly skin side up in the roasting pan
- Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan, avoid pouring the water on top of the roast
- Cook for 2 and a half to 3 hours until the pork is tender
- Add more water to the pan during cooking if it gets dry
- Cook the grits separately according to package directions
- Remove two tablespoons of fat from the pan of the pork belly and put the rendered fat into a skillet
- Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees
- Return the pork belly to the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes more for the skin to pop and crackle. You must watch this closely and be sure to have the vent on if it starts to smoke. Remove from the oven if it gets too smokey, use your best judgement an be safe.
- Slice the onion and pepper into 1/4 inch slices and cook in the rendered pork fat until softened
- Add the flour into the pan with the onions and pepper and cook, stirring for 5 minutes
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds more
- Pour the chicken stock into the onions and peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove the pork belly from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes
- Slice the pork belly along the scores you made at the beginning of the process and serve over the grits with the gravy. Garnish with chopped green onions
Emma
March 26, 2015 at 2:38 am (10 years ago)I haven’t tried to cook pork belly before. I’m going to try it this weekend.
Deena
March 26, 2015 at 2:36 am (10 years ago)This looks AWESOME! Absolutely stunning, I want to eat that right NOW.
Linda Carmical
March 10, 2015 at 6:03 pm (10 years ago)This looks and sounds absolutely amazing! I’ve been looking for a recipe for grits and this is perfect!
Demetra Overton
March 10, 2015 at 8:01 pm (10 years ago)Thanks so much Linda. Please let me know when you try it