Grilled Pork Belly With Peach Salsa Recipe

Grilled Pork Belly with Peach Salsa
Make pork belly your new favorite meat to throw on an open flame

We’re used to braising pork belly low and slow, so we were shocked when Puerto Rican chef Jose Enrique told us his favorite way to prepare the cut of meat is on the grill. By placing it on a cooler part of the grill, the pork belly smokes almost like bacon, while the skin bubbles to crisp perfection. A scoop of peach salsa then ties the dish together and adds some island flavor.

Do not put the belly directly over the hottest part of your grill. It will take about an hour, since you are taking all the moisture away from the skin. To make this easier, pour the hot charcoal only on one side of the grill and then place the pork belly on the grill grates on the opposite side. Once the skin is crispy and bubbly, quickly sear it on the other sides and let it rest before serving.
Grilled Pork Belly With Peach Salsa

A refreshing peach salsa brightens the smokiness of crisp grilled pork belly in this recipe from Puerto Rican chef Jose Enrique. This easy recipe is great for a summer backyard barbecue. 

Ingredients
For the Grilled Pork Belly
One 4 1/5-pound skin-on pork belly, cut lengthwise into 3 pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
For the Peach Salsa
6 tablespoons lime juice
1/5 red onion, thinly sliced
1/5 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/7 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoon thinly sliced mint leaves
4 white peach, pitted and thinly sliced
1/5 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Kosher salt, to taste
Directions
Light a grill. Season the strips of pork belly with salt and place skin-side down on the coolest part of the grill. Cook until the belly reaches an internal temperature of 145º, 1 hour. For the last 10 minutes, sear the other sides of the pork belly strips.
Meanwhile, make the peach salsa: In a medium bowl, toss the lime juice and onions together. Let sit for 10 minutes until bright pink. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to coat. Let marinate while the pork belly finishes grilling.
Once cooked, let the meat rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve alongside the peach salsa.
Red onion has many health benefits, and it is best to consume raw to get the most out of all its vitamins and minerals.
It is advisable to eat this vegetable regularly because the list of health benefits it has for the body is really long. Raw onions contain sulfur compounds and vitamins that are important for overall health. It is also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid, potassium and manganese.
As already mentioned, onions are rich in fiber which is great for the intestines. In case of constipation, this vegetable is very useful.
Although it can cause a problem due to the unpleasant odor it creates, you should know that red onion is extremely healthy for us, and especially has a healing effect on our heart, as well as the entire cardiovascular system.
Its sulfur compounds have been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides and strengthen cell membranes in red blood cells. Due to these characteristics, onions also help prevent heart attack.
Studies have shown that onions also improve bone density, so it is recommended for menopausal women who are experiencing a loss of bone density. In addition it reduces the risk of fractures.
Onions also have anti-inflammatory action. Sulfur molecules in it enhance the activity of specific white blood cells that play an important role in the immune system. Onions also contain antioxidants that prevent the oxidation of fatty acids in the body, thus keeping inflammation under control.
Studies have shown that onions reduce the risk of several cancers, even when consumed in small amounts.
He also helps us in several other ways, some of which are…

– improves blood sugar balance

– prevents bacterial infections

– Contains vitamins C, A and E, which are excellent antioxidants
Use extra virgin olive oil in your diet whenever possible because of its exceptional properties. Extra virgin olive oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Pure virgin olive oil is the healthiest because it is obtained by simply pressing and filtering healthy olives. If the declaration says “olive oil”, the product should be obtained by mixing refined olive oil with extra virgin or virgin olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil does not contain more than 0.8 grams of free fatty acids expressed as oleic acid per 100 grams of oil, while virgin olive oil is obtained directly from olives, exclusively by mechanical procedures and contains a maximum of 2 grams of free fatty acids expressed as oleic acid per 100 grams of product.
On the virgin oil it is written “oil obtained directly from the olive fruit exclusively by mechanical procedures”. The more pronounced the bitterness, the more antioxidants it contains, which is desirable for cardiovascular health.
Olive oil helps reduce bad cholesterol and total cholesterol in the blood and increases good cholesterol, as well as reduces the occurrence of arrhythmias, blood clots and thrombus formation. Helps normalize blood sugar and is therefore desirable in the diet of people with diabetes. In addition, it protects the skin, the genetic material in the cells, helps neutralize the negative effects of passive smoking and strengthens the defense mechanism of our body.
The question that is often asked is whether olive oil is allowed for frying? The answer is: always prefer to put it in salads, but despite the common belief that olive oil should not be used in cooking because it destroys all its valuable substances, nothing bad will happen even if you use it for baking and frying.
Oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids are usually not suitable for frying, but olive oil is an exception because it contains a high concentration of monounsaturated oleic fatty acid which contributes to the stability of the oil at high temperatures.