Grilled Pork Belly – Tocinho Assado

You may have seen grilled pork belly as a new trend in upscale restaurants but cooking pork bellies has been around in Portuguese cuisine for centuries.

Pork belly is not like regular bacon that you find in your supermarket. The pork is uncured and has no salt or smoky taste.

This method of grilling the pork in it’s natural state on the outdoor grill creates a crispy texture with  juicy flavor will make your mouth water!

You can find pork bellies at butcher shops but be sure to ask for uncured bacon. Have them slice it to about 1/4 inch thick.

Our family has been cooking this at every family picnic. Once your friends and family taste this pork they will go crazy for it and except it every time you have another cook out! It is perfect on a simple Papo Seco Portuguese roll or any crusty roll. You can also serve it as a main protein in you meal but eating it in a simple sandwich is my favorite way. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of uncured Pork Belly sliced to 1/4 inch thick

1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt or more to taste

2 cloves of crushed garlic (optional if like a garlicky taste)

Instructions:

Salt each pork belly slice heavily with the coarse salt. I prefer a natural flavor in the pork so I don’t use garlic, but I added it in the ingredient list for those that love a garlic.

Let the pork marinate for at least 1 hour or longer in the refrigerator to absorb the salt.

Cook on a very hot out door grill turning often. Keep the pork away from flames as it cooks and lower the heat if needed. The pork should be a golden color and slightly crispy.