What To Know
- Once the hair is singed, you can scrape it off the skin using a sharp knife or a pair of tweezers.
- By following the steps and tips outlined in this blog post, you can easily remove the hair from your pork belly and enjoy this delicious cut of meat.
- If you burn the pork belly, you can cut off the burned part and continue cooking the rest of the meat.
Pork belly is a versatile and flavorful cut of meat that can be used in a variety of dishes. However, before you can cook pork belly, you need to remove the hair from the skin. This can be a daunting task, but it’s actually quite easy to do with the right tools and techniques.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of how to remove pork belly hair. We’ll also provide some tips and tricks to make the process easier.
Tools You’ll Need
- Sharp knife
- Tweezers
- Butane torch
- Paper towels
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Trim the Excess Fat
Before you start removing the hair, you need to trim off any excess fat from the pork belly. This will make it easier to work with and will help prevent the hair from sticking to the skin.
2. Score the Skin
Once you’ve trimmed the fat, you need to score the skin. This will help the heat from the torch penetrate the skin and make it easier to remove the hair. To score the skin, use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts in a crisscross pattern.
3. Burn the Hair
Now it’s time to burn the hair. This is the most important step in the process, so be sure to do it carefully.
Hold the butane torch about 6 inches away from the skin and move it back and forth until the hair is completely singed. Be careful not to hold the torch too close to the skin, as this can burn the meat.
4. Scrape Off the Hair
Once the hair is singed, you can scrape it off the skin using a sharp knife or a pair of tweezers. Be careful not to cut yourself.
5. Rinse the Pork Belly
Once you’ve removed all of the hair, rinse the pork belly with cold water. This will help remove any remaining hair or debris.
6. Pat the Pork Belly Dry
Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. This will help prevent the skin from becoming soggy.
7. Season the Pork Belly
Now that the pork belly is hair-free, you can season it to your liking. You can use a variety of spices, such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have a butane torch, you can use a gas stove to burn the hair. Just be sure to hold the pork belly far away from the flame so that you don’t burn the meat.
- If you’re having trouble removing the hair, you can try using a pair of pliers. Just be careful not to tear the skin.
- If you’re cooking the pork belly right away, you don’t need to rinse it after you’ve removed the hair. However, if you’re planning on storing the pork belly, you should rinse it to remove any bacteria.
Wrapping Up
Removing pork belly hair is a simple process that can be done in just a few minutes. By following the steps and tips outlined in this blog post, you can easily remove the hair from your pork belly and enjoy this delicious cut of meat.
Questions We Hear a Lot
Q: Can I use a razor to remove pork belly hair?
A: No, you should not use a razor to remove pork belly hair. Razors can cut the skin and cause the meat to bleed.
Q: How do I know if I’ve removed all of the hair?
A: Run your fingers over the skin. If you feel any stubble, you need to remove more hair.
Q: What should I do if I burn the pork belly?
A: If you burn the pork belly, you can cut off the burned part and continue cooking the rest of the meat. However, if the burn is severe, you may need to discard the entire piece of meat.
