How to Salt Pork Belly at Home
A delightful, aromatic snack. It never lasts long on the table! How to salt pork belly at home? Very simple and effortless. It’s the perfect addition to a bowl of borscht. Try it yourself!
Updated : 29 October, 2025
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
1 kilograms
Pork breast
150 grams
Table salt
2 teaspoon
Paprika
1 teaspoon
Caraway
1 teaspoon
Ground black pepper
6
Garlic
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
The main success lies in the pork belly itself - it should be nicely colored, fragrant, with an undamaged rind. There should be plenty of meat layers, and the fat should be light with a slight pink hue - never yellowish, which indicates it’s not fresh.
Step 2
Clean each piece of pork belly with a sharp knife to remove any dirt, rinse under running water, let the excess water drain, then pat dry with paper towels. Make several crosswise cuts about two-thirds deep, not all the way through.
Step 3
Garlic is essential - it gives the unique aroma. Use plenty, but adjust to your taste. Peel the garlic, press it through a garlic press or grate finely, then rub it thoroughly over the pork belly.
Step 4
Add spices to taste - various types of pepper, coriander, dry garlic (if not using fresh), etc. I use black pepper, paprika, and ground cumin (the kind used for basturma).
Step 5
Mix the spices, sprinkle over each piece, and rub the mixture of garlic and spices well into the meat on all sides.
Step 6
Place each piece on parchment paper (or clean cotton cloth or foil) and generously sprinkle with salt, making sure it gets into the cuts too. Don’t worry about oversalting - it will absorb just the right amount.
Step 7
Wrap each piece in paper and place in a container. Refrigerate for 24 hours so it can salt properly and absorb the spice aromas.
Step 8
After 24 hours, the pork belly is almost ready. Unwrap it, rinse off the salt and excess spices, and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 9
It’s already edible, but even tastier if you wrap it again in foil (or paper or cloth) and keep it in the fridge for another 24 hours, or in the freezer for 12 hours.
Step 10
The pork belly stores well in foil - up to a week in the refrigerator, or up to a month in the freezer. It rarely lasts that long, though!
Step 11
Slice the delicious garlic-flavored pork belly thinly with a sharp knife and enjoy.
Step 12
Bon appétit!