Things you Need to Know Before You Grill Your Next Pork Belly!
When you think Argentine BBQ, you think beef…but we are doing pork belly 2 different ways on our Sunterra Argentine Brasero Grill!
Things to know:
What is grilled pork belly?
Grilled pork belly is a rich, succulent dish prepared by cooking fatty pork belly slices or slabs over direct or indirect heat until crispy and tender. Popular methods include quick-grilling marinated thin slices over high heat (4-6 minutes per side) or low-and-slow smoking techniques. Common flavors include savory soy-based marinades, Filipino-style citrus rubs, or sweet-and-sticky BBQ glazes.
What are some common marinades for grilled pork belly?
Common marinades for grilled pork belly often feature sweet, savory, and umami-rich Asian-inspired profiles. Popular choices include Korean gochujang, Filipino soy-calamansi, sweet hoisin glaze, and savory soy-ginger, which all help balance the fat. For best results, marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. We absolutely love every marinade/brine Sweetwater Spice Company offers, so that is what we used for this cook.
Does pork belly have collagen?
Yes, pork belly is rich in collagen, particularly within the connective tissues, muscle layers, and especially the skin. When cooked slowly, this collagen breaks down into gelatin, resulting in a tender, succulent texture. It is often used in braised dishes to achieve a soft, sticky mouthfeel. We giggle every time we say or type “mouthfeel”.
What is a brasero grill?
A brasero grill is a traditional Argentine-style grill featuring an attached, elevated metal firebox (the brasero) used to burn wood or charcoal into hot embers, which then drop to the cooking floor. This system enables consistent, long-duration cooking over coals instead of flames, reducing flare-ups and allowing for easy temperature management during asado grilling.
What is an Argentine BBQ?
Argentine BBQ, known as asado, is a cultural ritual focusing on slow-cooking beef and other meats over charcoal or wood embers (parrilla) using simple salt seasoning. It features premium cuts like tira de asado (short ribs) and vacío (flank), usually served with chimichurri sauce, salads, and wine in a social, communal setting.
Pork Belly
Ingredients:
2 pork bellies (ours weighed about 10 pounds each)
2 cups Sweetwater Spice Company’s Ancho Chipotle Brine
8 cups water
2 cups of chimichurri (you can make it from scratch, or use a mix.
1. For the brined Pork belly, poke about 7 million holes in the pork belly with a needle meat tenderizer, then place in a container with the brine and water and chuck it in a cooler or the refrigerator for 24ish hours.
2. For the butterflied pork belly, carefully butterfly the pork belly and lay it out flat. Spread the chimichurri out evenly on the inside of the butterflies pork belly (see video). Roll the pork belly up and tie it off with butchers twine, using 1 less string than the number of “pinwheels” you want (they should be 1-2” thick).
3. Set your grill up where you can hold your hand above the grates for 6-8 seconds before it begins to hurt. Place your pinwheels on the grill. Place the full pork belly fat side down.
4. Once the top of the pork feels warm, flip both the pinwheels and pork belly and continue to cook until you hit around 165F internal.
5. After a 20 minute rest until tented foil, slice up your pork belly, serve and ENJOY!
Provaleta
Ingredients:
2 discs of provolone cheese, cut at an 8 setting from your deli
1 Argentine chorizo sausage
1. Heat a 7” cast iron skillet on your grill.
2. Place one provolone disc in the skillet, top with chorizo, then top with the other provolone disc. Sprinkle on some chimichurri seasoning and Vampire Killer.
3. Place the skillet on the grill in an area where you can hold your hand over the grate for 6-8 seconds. Let it cook until a thick brown crust forms, then flip, season the top side then allow to cook until the bottom forms an equal crispy texture.
4. Remove from the skillet with a spatula, cut like a pizza, and ENJOY!
Here is the link to the Grilled Bacon Double Cheeseburger Stuffed Mushrooms episode I mentioned in the video.
Equipment used:
JY COOKMENT Meat Tenderizer with 48 Stainless Steel Ultra Sharp Needle Blades
Shogun Series Chef’s Knife 10.25”
Gladiator Series Chef & Utility Knife 7”
Valhalla Series Bull-Nose Butcher Knife 10”
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