Sous Vide Brined Pork Belly

If you like bacon (who doesn’t?) you’ll love this juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside Sous Vide Brined Pork Belly prepared with the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 33:30

Recipe Time: 12:00

Temperature : 158F / 70C

Ingredients

• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 pound skinless pork belly
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a large saucepan or stock pot, whisk together the water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and thyme.
2. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 5 hours.
3. When the brine is completely chilled, place the pork belly in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
4. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 158°F (70°C).
5. Remove the pork belly from the brine, pat dry, and place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.
6. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 12 hours. Cover the water bath with plastic wrap to minimize water evaporation. Add water intermittently to keep the pork belly submerged.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Transfer the bag to an ice bath until chilled. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
2. Once the pork belly is thoroughly chilled, slice into 3/4-inch-thick portions.
3. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork. Sear until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Serve.