Crispy Pork Belly Sandwich
The following recipe and photography were provided by local blogger Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
As its name suggests, pork belly is a boneless, fatty cut of meat that comes from the belly of a pig.
Pork belly is commonly used in many Asian, European and Latin American cuisines. In the United States, pork belly is typically cured to make bacon.
While there are numerous ways to cook pork belly, two of the simplest methods for those less familiar with this cut include slow cooking it (like a pork roast) or slicing it into thin strips or pieces and cooking it like bacon.
For this simple and delicious sandwich, I’m thinly slicing a fresh CARE Certified pork belly steak from Heinen’s Meat Department, seasoning it with salt, black pepper and garlic and baking until crisp.
Served atop fresh sourdough bread with caramelized onion mustard, juicy beefsteak tomato, and creamy avocado, it’s like a very hearty BLT.
Crispy Pork Belly Sandwich
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Heinen’s CARE Certified fresh pork belly steak
- Sea salt
- McCormick garlic pepper seasoning grinder
- Heinen’s sourdough bread, thick sliced and lightly toasted
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Stonewall Kitchen caramelized onion mustard
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 1 large local beefsteak tomato, sliced
- Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray a baking rack on both sides with nonstick cooking spray, then set it on top of the foil-lined pan.
- Slice the pork belly lengthwise into 8 strips, ¼-½-inch thick. The thinner the cut, the crispier the pork belly will become.
- Arrange the sliced pork belly in a single layer on the baking rack. Sprinkle both sides with salt to taste, then generously season with the garlic pepper seasoning. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until golden brown and crisp. Cook time will vary based on the thickness of the slices.
- To assemble the sandwiches, top one slice of bread with a Tbsp. of mayo and another with a Tbsp. of the mustard. Top one side with 2 slices of pork belly, lettuce, sliced tomato and sliced avocado. Top with bread, cut in half and serve.
