Pork belly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pork belly

Uncooked pork belly
Nutritional value per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Energy	2,167 kJ (518 kcal)
Carbohydrates	0 g
Fat	53 g
Protein	9.34 g

Pork belly is a tasty cut of meat that comes from the underside of a pig. It's a boneless and often fatty piece of pork. This meat is super popular in many parts of the world, especially in places like China, Korea, Denmark, and countries in Latin America.

Pork Belly Around the World

France

In Alsatian cuisine (a region in France), pork belly is used to make a dish called choucroute garnie. This dish often includes sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and different kinds of meats.

China

Chinese braised pork belly

In Chinese cooking, pork belly is very common. It's often cut into cubes and cooked slowly with its skin on. Sometimes it's marinated (soaked in a flavorful sauce) or cooked whole. Famous Chinese dishes made with pork belly include red braised pork belly (紅燒肉) and Dongpo pork (東坡肉). These dishes are known for their rich, savory flavors.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In countries like the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, strips of pork belly are often fried until crispy. They are served as part of a meal called bandeja paisa or as a snack called chicharrón.

In Venezuela, this meat is called tocineta. It's sometimes used as a filling for a traditional bread called pan de jamón (ham bread) or in hallacas, which are like tamales.

Denmark

In Danish cuisine, a whole pork belly is cooked as flæskesteg, which means 'pork roast'. People traditionally eat this dish at Christmas. It's usually roasted in the oven with the skin on, seasoned with salt and bay leaves. The skin becomes super crispy, like a crackling, and is eaten with the meat. When cooked in individual slices, it's called stegt flæsk, and it's even the national dish of Denmark!

Germany

In German cuisine, pork belly is an ingredient in a traditional meal called Schlachteplatte. This dish often features various cuts of freshly butchered pork.

Italy

In Italian cuisine, a popular cured meat called pancetta is made from pork belly. It's often used in pasta sauces and other dishes.

Korea

Pork belly char siu with rice

In Korean cuisine, pork belly is known as samgyeop-sal (삼겹살) when the skin is removed. If the skin is left on, it's called ogyeop-sal (오겹살). The name samgyeop-sal means 'three-layered meat' because you can often see three layers in the meat: skin, fat, and lean meat. Ogyeop-sal means 'five-layered meat' because it includes the skin, making it appear to have more layers.

Pork belly is incredibly popular in South Korea. A survey in 2006 showed that 85% of adults in South Korea said it was their favorite pork cut, and 70% ate it at least once a week! Because it's so popular, it can be one of the more expensive parts of pork.

Koreans enjoy pork belly both at restaurants and at home. It's often grilled at a Korean barbecue right at the table. It's also used in many Korean dishes, like bossam (boiled pork wraps) and kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew).

When grilled, slices of pork belly are usually not marinated. People often grill the meat themselves and eat it directly from the grill. It's commonly served with ssamjang (a special dipping sauce) and fresh vegetables like lettuce or perilla leaves to wrap the meat in.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Zeeuws spek is a very popular dish made from pork belly. Another favorite is speklap, which is slowly baked pork belly.

Norway

In Norwegian cuisine, pork belly is a very common Christmas dinner. In 2014, 55% of Norwegians ate it for their Christmas meal. It's traditionally cooked slowly in the oven with the skin on. It's served with potatoes, pork meatballs (called medisterkake), sausages, lingonberry jam, and stewed cabbage (surkål). The super crispy skin is considered a very important part of the dish.

Okinawa Prefecture

In Okinawan cuisine (from the islands south of Japan), a dish called rafute is traditionally eaten. It's believed to help people live longer!

Philippines

Cantonese roasted pork belly

In Filipino cuisine, pork belly (called liyempo in Tagalog) is often marinated. It's soaked in a mix of crushed garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper before being grilled. It's usually served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce and vinegar. This grilled pork is called inihaw in Filipino. Another popular way to prepare it is to deep-fry it until crispy and then chop it into pieces, which is called lechon kawali.

Switzerland

In Swiss cuisine, pork belly is used in a dish called the Berner Platte. This is a large platter that includes various kinds of meat and sausages.

Thailand

In Thai cuisine, pork belly is known as mu sam chan (หมูสามชั้น), which means 'three-layered pork'. This refers to the layers of rind (skin), fat, and meat. It's often used to make dishes like Khao mu daeng (red pork with rice) and Khao mu krop (crispy pork with rice), or stir-fried with vegetables like Chinese kale.

United Kingdom

In British cuisine, pork belly is usually cooked in two main ways. One way is to slow roast it in the oven for a few hours to make it very tender. The skin is then cooked at a high temperature to make it crispy, which is called "crackling". Another way is to barbecue it slowly in a pan on a covered grill, often with vegetables and cider. This also makes the meat tender and the crackling crispy. Pork belly is also used in the UK to make streaky bacon.

United States

In American cuisine, most bacon is made from pork bellies. Another product made from pork bellies is salt pork, which is often used to add flavor to soups and stews.

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