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This Pork Belly BLT is a new take on the classic BLT sandwich.

Start with crispy, salted pork belly instead of bacon and a homemade flavored aioli in place of mayo. Then heirloom tomatoes, avocado and butter lettuce finish off this sandwich – which is sure to require a napkin.

Roasted Garlic + Sage Aioli

Begin by making my simple Roasted Garlic and Sage Aioli – which only takes around 5 minutes to make if you already have roasted garlic – and let it chill while you prepare everything else for your Pork Belly BLT.

 

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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

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does pork belly taste like bacon?

Yes and no… Pork belly can taste like bacon if prepared like below, but it doesn’t have to taste like bacon. There are certainly many other ways to prepare it. And while it can taste like bacon, it also doesn’t have the smoked flavor that most bacon has. You can certainly add some smoked paprika to yours if you are missing that element.

Making crispy pork belly is so simple and a better alternative to bacon though! Pork belly is the same cut as bacon, but without all of the added preservatives and processing. This gives you the opportunity to control how salty you like it. I grew up eating pork belly (or side pork as we called it) for breakfast and it was one of the only things we would ever “fight” over at our house. I get mine at Costco and use it for pretty much anything that would call for bacon.

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How do you keep pork belly crispy?

Salting and roasting at a high temperature will help keep your pork belly crispy.

First, lay your pork belly out on a roasting pan or broiling pan and salt and pepper liberally. I prefer to use a homemade flavored salt, but plain salt will work too. Since the pork belly is uncured, it will probably take more salt than you would think, but it’s certainly up to your preference.

Now, roast your pork belly at 400 degrees for around 30 minutes, depending on its thickness, turning over halfway through. If you have a thinner pork belly, like the kind sliced for soups, it will take considerably less time. For thicker pieces, you want to roast it at a high heat for longer to get the fat to distribute evenly through the meat.

Pat dry, cool and reserve.

What goes with crispy pork belly?

Tomato, lettuce and avocado!

Next find your best tomato – home grown if possible (Those are tomatoes from my own garden! 🙂 ) – and slice them thick. Then prepare your lettuce and cut your avocado into smaller slices.

Spread each half of your bread (I used baguettes – also from Costco) with the Roasted Garlic and Sage Aioli and layer all of your ingredients on top.

Finally, wrap and cut your Pork Belly BLT and it is ready to take on your next picnic or pack for your work lunch!

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For more picnic recipes and ideas please see my post on What to Pack for a Perfect Picnic!

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