Disappointing pork belly

[Scantily]

Hello chaps,

I thought I'd share an experience I had and see what your thoughts are.

At the works Christmas meal I had chosen slow roasted pork belly and paid extra for this over the usual meagre slices of dry turkey and brussel sprouts. I was very much looking forward to it as pork belly has got to be one of my absolute favourite roast meats, however, I was very disappointed to find that upon being given my plate of food that they had sliced off the crackling and just given me the meat underneath. So thinking that it had just been forgotten I called a waitress over and asked where it was, she went off into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later after having spoken to the chef and gave me the answer "Sorry there's no crackling as it's been slow roasted". I told her that I didn't quite understand and that I was disappointed with the meal, but I ate it anyway albeit in a deflated lacklustre fashion.

Why the hell would you ever not serve pork belly with crackling? When I order it i expect to receive the whole piece of meat, and not with the best part sliced off and presumably put in the bin. And as for it not having crackling because it was slow roasted, I can't think of the amount of times I've had absolutely beautiful crackling from some home cooked pork belly. It annoyed me so much that it doesn't make me want to go back to the restaurant.

Has anyone else come across this?

[FestiveFreddy]

Chef's treat

[Changedmyname]

I have customers who ask me to cut the rind off so they can cook it seperate to the meat.
That way you can slow cook the meat and crisp up the crackling.

That "chef" is not a "chef",he's a cook.

[Scantily]

Changedmyname said:

I have customers who ask me to cut the rind off so they can cook it seperate to the meat.
That way you can slow cook the meat and crisp up the crackling.

That "chef" is not a "chef",he's a cook.

I've slow cooked a slab of pork belly for 5 hours and had the most delicious, crunchy crackling I've ever had in my life, I don't see how it being slow roasted means that you can't have crackling.

[FestiveFreddy]

It doesn't at all. I always have crackling with my pork belly, although sometimes I do remove it before the belly has finished cooking and crisp it up separately. it depends on the cooking method I'm using.

[Dave_ITR]

Changedmyname said:

That "chef" is not a "chef",he's a cook.

This, there is no reason why it shouldn't be present regardless of slow cooking.


On another note, I realise I'm in the minority on here but I can't stand crackling.

[Henry Hawthorne]

Dave_ITR said:

This, there is no reason why it shouldn't be present regardless of slow cooking.


On another note, I realise I'm in the minority on here but I can't stand crackling.

Same. I try to understand what's so good about it - but no. It's just not nice.

[FestiveFreddy]

GET OUT!

[Pete Franklin]

I often find that to get the best out of the meat you can't get the best out of the skin. i'e to make it really melt in the mouth you need to cook at a low temperature that wont produce crackling. For this reason, when i cook belly I normally remove the skin and cook seperately at the end.

[Mr Gearchange]

Hard luck on the crackling - what a dissapointment.
It happens often though - chef whacks the Pork Belly into the oven at a low temp rather than giving it a good sizzle for the first 15 minutes or so to bring the crackling on.

I'd be more concerned about being charged and EXTRA fiver for Pork Belly. That's a fking liberty.

[Changedmyname]

Scantily said:

Changedmyname said:

I have customers who ask me to cut the rind off so they can cook it seperate to the meat.
That way you can slow cook the meat and crisp up the crackling.

That "chef" is not a "chef",he's a cook.

I've slow cooked a slab of pork belly for 5 hours and had the most delicious, crunchy crackling I've ever had in my life, I don't see how it being slow roasted means that you can't have crackling.

Agreed ^^so why couldn't this cook do the same?

[Sticks.]

Henry Hawthorne said:

Dave_ITR said:

This, there is no reason why it shouldn't be present regardless of slow cooking.


On another note, I realise I'm in the minority on here but I can't stand crackling.

Same. I try to understand what's so good about it - but no. It's just not nice.

I just don't do belly of pork. Fat. Yuk. Fine if you want to do it yourself but, reataurants top price charge for cheapest cut. (seriously in a minority )

[21TonyK]

This is something we are becoming known for. We take a belly, seam and trim it, then roll with the fat to the outside. This is then cooked for 24 hours in a water bath with aromatics. Once chilled it is portioned and finished to order in a hot pan and under the grill.

BUT!!!... then skin is also taken off before anything else. Dried and cut into various shapes. Salted and fried at a low temp for numerous minutes. Chilled and some pieces tied to formers to keep their shape. Then finally when an order comes in they are deep fried to produce the perfect pork scratchin's served with the rolled belly.

Pork is nothing without the fat or the skin (and some apple sauce)

Edited by 21TonyK on Friday 6th January 06:48

[jaybirduk]

Don't like pork belly and really hate crackling

[Don]

I roasted a gammon joint for Boxing Day.

It had the best crackling ever. Salty, crisp, moist underneath, crunchy on top.

I hadn't really expected that I'd get decent crackling off a gammon joint - I normally expect to chuck the skin - but this was huge and it turned out great!



Pork Belly without crackling!? Never, ever go back. Dear oh dear...