Recipe: Pork Belly Tacos

Pork belly is a particularly flavorful part of the meat and utilizes the same cut of pork that bacon is made from. I prefer the ease of braising the cut, which makes it very tender and moist. A slab of pork belly is three-quarters fat. But enjoyed in moderation, it's as silky smooth and delicious as fois gras — well, almost.

Yield: Approx. 6-8 tacos
Time to braise pork: 3-4 hours, mostly unattended
Cost: Approx. $14.

Ingredients

• 2-3 pound slab pork belly
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• Juice from 1 lime
• 4-6 tablespoons your favorite salsa, such as tomatilla or chipotle 
• 6-8 (6-inch) soft, white corn tacos
• 8 teaspoons crumbled queso fresca
• 2 tomatoes, washed, cored and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, lightly score pork belly on the fat side by making 1/6-inch slashes in 4 places. Season both sides of belly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. In a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven large enough to accommodate the pork, over high heat, sear pork until golden brown on each side.
2. Add water to cover up to 3/4 pork. Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove lid, taking care not to let the steam burn you, turn pork over, and add additional water if depleted. Cover and continue simmering until pork is easily shredded with a fork. Let cool several minutes in cooking liquid then remove from liquid to carving board, and cut or shred into small pieces, removing or retaining as much fat as desired.
3. Combine shredded cabbage with lime juice. Toss pork belly with 4 tablespoons salsa, adding additional salsa and kosher salt to taste.
4. In a dry skillet, cast iron preferred, heat the tortillas over medium-low heat until they are softened. Wrap in aluminum foil until ready to use.
5. To make the tacos, in this order, divide the cabbage, pork belly, queso fresco, tomatoes and cilantro over each taco and serve.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Sept. 14, 2010.