Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (2024)

This columbian style pork belly recipe is hugely inspired by the crispy pork belly specialty known as the Chicharron Colombiano. I really love how pork belly can end up having diverse textures in just a single dish – a crisp crackling on top, a perfectly rendered fat layer beneath, and extra succulent meat with fall-off-the-bone tenderness at the bottom.

Colombian-Style Pork Belly

Speed - 93%

Simplicity - 97%

Tastiness - 100%

97%

Yummy!

Fall-off-the-bone tender and really succulent pork meat. Perfectly rendered fat layer. Evenly blistered crackling skin. This is just the best way to cook pork belly!

User Rating: 2.91 ( 165 votes)

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (1)

Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 8 hours hours

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 22 hours hours

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Colombian

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 Kilograms Pork Belly
  • 1 Piece White Onion quartered
  • 2 Pieces Bay Leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
  • 6 Pieces Cloves
  • Salt to taste
  • Vegetable Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Combine the pork belly, onions, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cloves, and salt in the slow cooker. Cover with water and leave on high for 3 hours.

  • Take the pork belly out of the pot and set on a cooling rack. Leave to cool to room temperature.

  • Chill the pork overnight.

  • Rub the pork generously with salt.

  • Deep fry over low heat until evenly golden.

  • Set on a wire rack and leave to cool.

  • Flash fry over high heat until crackling.

Like this recipe?Follow @FoodForNet on Pinterest!

Honestly, I’ve had several attempts to get to this level of perfection, trying every cooking method from oven-roasting, deep-frying, to broiling. I’ll have to say that I’m quite happy with the results that I’m getting so far. Let me walk you through the tedious (but totally worth) process.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (3)

We begin by completely tenderizing the slabs of pork belly in the slow cooker together with our basic flavoring components. You can use any blend of aromatics and spices at this point, but this simple mix of onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and salt does prove enough.

I used to do this step on the stovetop, which compared to using the slow cooker, required much more supervision as I had to monitor constantly for liquid evaporation.

I’ve also tried skipping this step, going by the more traditional way of gentle frying. Though effective at rendering the pork crisp, this method dries the pork out too much, all the way to those layers of lean meat which we all want to remain succulent.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (4)

Get the pork really tender, stopping just before the point that it starts to fall apart. Set it on a wire rack, and leave it out to cool to room temperature. Once cool enough, leave it overnight inside the chiller.

Allowing that layer of skin to really dry out is essential to getting the perfect crackling.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (5)

Take the pork out of the chiller and rub a generous amount of coarse salt all around it. Not much for flavor, we’re using that salt to draw out more moisture, drying our pork even more.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (6)

Heat up enough vegetable oil in the fryer to get the pork totally submerged. Fry the slabs of pork belly over low heat until it gets an even golden brown color. This process should take somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (7)

Once nice and golden, take the pork out of the fryer and set it on a cooling rack to drain off any excess oil and to cool down to room temperature.This step is again essential and will make a really huge difference to your crackling.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (8)

Once the pork has cooled down, get the oil in the fryer really hot and flash-fry those pork belly slices for about a minute or two. Because of the huge temperature difference between the oil and the pork, you should almost instantly notice that skin get those familiar blisters.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (9)

Finally, take the pork out of the oil and again set it on the cooling rack to air dry for a couple more minutes. Certain spots on the skin may initially be chewy out of the hot oil and should turn out brittle as it cools off a bit.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (10)
Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (11)
Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (12)
Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (13)

Table of Contents

Why Is Pork Belly So Delicious?

The fat in pork belly is part of what makes it so amazing. This fat breaks down when you cook the meat slowly and gives you an amazingly rich flavor.

The cut also has plenty of flavor of its own, including a rich umami taste. Honestly, if you love bacon, pork belly tastes simply incredible.

Other Pork Belly Recipes

Pork belly is a versatile cut that can be used in many ways. Here’s a selection of other recipes for you to try out. Some come from this site, while others are from further afield.

  • Sous Vide Pork Belly Adobo. The sous vide helps to create an amazingly tender version of pork belly, one that highlights the rich flavors of the cut.
  • Sous Vide Mustard and Molasses Pork Belly Strips. This recipe uses sous vide as well, but provides a completely different flavor profile. The combination of mustard and molasses is amazing and naturally complements the flavor of the pork.
  • Sous Vide Chinese Pork Belly. While this Chinese style pork belly recipe is a little more complex, it’s worth every second. The pork belly is particularly good in Chinese bao buns, although other uses are delicious too.
  • Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly. With this simple recipe, you’re roasting pork belly in the oven. It’s also a very simple recipe, featuring just four familiar ingredients.
  • Honey Glazed Crispy Bork Belly. Want to step things up a little? This recipe could be perfect, as it features a delicious honey glaze.
Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (14)

Sous Vide Chinese-Style Fried Chicken

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (15)

Cesnecka: Czech Garlic Soup

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (16)

Mexican Chicken Skewers

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (17)

Crispy Fried Chicken with Parmesan Crust

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (18)

Quick Fried Arancini with Fennel Salad

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (19)

Mexican Breakfast Burritos

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (20)

Chicken Inasal Tacos

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (21)

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad

Is Pork Belly Bad For You?

Pork has a poor reputation as a ‘dirty’ cut of meat, one that might harbor disease or cause notable health issues. But, most of those perspectives are simply rumors or have been blown way out of proportion.

The biggest health risk with pork is related to the saturated fat content. This isn’t great news for pork belly, as it is a very fatty cut of meat. Pork could also raise cancer risk in the same way as red meat, partly due to the high temperature it is cooked at.

Still, pork belly has benefits too, as it contains a decent amount of protein and nutrients. It’s also low in carbs, which is particularly relevant for keto dieters.

In the end, pork belly has more health issues than benefits, but honestly, does that really matter? A healthy diet can still include less than ideal food some of the time. Having pork belly every so often isn’t likely to cause any harm at all.

Columbian Style Pork Belly Recipe | Food For Net (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook pork belly so it's not tough? ›

Slow roast 1 1/2 hours – Roast the pork in a 140°C/285°F oven (120°C fan) for a total of 2 1/2 hours. Keeping the temperature this low allows the meat to become tender, for the fat to render (melt) so we get the “confit” cooking effect, and also to dry out the pork skin yet keep it supple.

What makes pork belly good? ›

Pork belly is known for its succulent flavor, versatility, and low cost — all of which help make it a staple ingredient in many world cuisines. However, compared with other cuts of pork, pork belly contains more calories, total fat, and saturated fat.

What is Colombian chicharron made of? ›

The Colombian method is as follows: Place segments of pork belly in a cooking vessel with a bit of water, set it over the stove, and let the fat slowly render out. Towards the end, after the water has cooked off, turn up the heat, thereby using the remaining liquified fat in the wok to fry the belly.

How come my pork belly is tough? ›

A: The pork belly may be tough if the slices are cut too thick, resulting in insufficient cooking time to tenderize the meat. Alternatively, the pork may have been overcooked, causing it to become tough. Q: Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

How to make pork extremely tender? ›

How to Make Tender Pork Chops
  1. Opt for Thick-Cut Bone-In Pork Chops. Thin-cut pork chops won't sear properly in the time it takes to cook them through. ...
  2. Skip the Brine, but Season Liberally. ...
  3. Let the Pork Chops Rest. ...
  4. Sear Pork Chops Over Medium-High Heat. ...
  5. Baste the Pork Chops. ...
  6. Let the Pork Chops Rest, Again. ...
  7. Serve.
Feb 14, 2018

Does pork belly get softer the longer you cook it? ›

This is a tough muscle, so it needs a longer cooking time at low heat to breakdown the tough tissue." So, to serve up good roast pork, budget for at least 3-4 hours in the kitchen. If done correctly, a piece of roast pork should be so tender you can pierce its flesh with a fork.

What are 3 ways that pork belly can be cooked? ›

Here's a look at three easy ways to cook it: stovetop, grilling and oven roasted. It's a triple threat on the delicious front. Stovetop: Use 500 grams of pork belly, basically enough to cover the bottom of your pan in one layer.

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

The skin wasn't dry enough. Make sure to pat the pork completely dry before rubbing in the salt and oil as excess moisture will stop it from crisping up. It's important to score the skin if you want it really crisp. You'll need a sharp knife for this, or ask your butcher to do it for you.

Why is chicharon unhealthy? ›

Saturated fat content: While chicharrones contain more unsaturated fats than saturated fats, they're still relatively high in saturated fats. You may want to watch out for this if you have high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease.

What is a chicharrón in Colombian slang? ›

Chicharron. Chicharron is a Colombian staple, the fried pork found on every bandeja paisa. The only time Colombians complain about chicharron is when they use the word to describe a problem at work, a situation that's near impossible to solve. You may hear a harrassed friend declare: “I have a chicharron…”

Can you overcook pork belly? ›

Can you overcook smoked pork belly? You can overcook anything. If smoked at too high of a temperature or for too long, then the meat will become tough and rubbery. Remove the meat from the heat once it reaches 190-195°F to prevent overcooking, plus don't add too many wood chips and overdo the amount of smoke.

How do you know when pork belly is done? ›

The pork will be ready when the juices run clear and the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife. If the skin hasn't crisped up, try putting the joint under a hot grill for a few minutes – but remember to keep an eye on it to avoid burning.

How long does it take for pork belly to be tender? ›

Cook approximately 1.5 hours, though a lot will depend on the size of your pork belly. You want to cook until the internal temperature is 160-165°F. Remove meat from oven and remove salt crust. It should come off in pieces.

Does pork belly get more tender the more you cook it? ›

Slow-roasting pork belly in the oven is a great way to allow the pork belly to get more tender the longer it cooks.

How do you tenderize pork belly? ›

I would braise pork belly, not boil it. Boiling pork belly will cook and tenderize the meat but water has no flavor so you aren't adding anything by doing so.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tuan Roob DDS

Last Updated:

Views: 5509

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tuan Roob DDS

Birthday: 1999-11-20

Address: Suite 592 642 Pfannerstill Island, South Keila, LA 74970-3076

Phone: +9617721773649

Job: Marketing Producer

Hobby: Skydiving, Flag Football, Knitting, Running, Lego building, Hunting, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Tuan Roob DDS, I am a friendly, good, energetic, faithful, fantastic, gentle, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.