The best substitutes for pork belly

Pork belly is one of the tastiest and most unique cuts you can get when it comes to pork, but it can be incredibly hard to find.

People like pork belly because it is very tender. It has a lot of flavor, but it can be pricey and not as common in grocery stores as pork trotter, ribs, or roast.

Finding an alternative to pork belly may not be perfect, but there are good options you can use when you need them.

What is the best substitute for pork belly? One of the best pork belly substitutes that is easy to find is pork bacon. Because pork belly is so tender and often used for bacon, it’s a great alternative. Other alternatives are the pork loin and shoulder.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best pork belly substitutes out there. There are some really great options to choose from, so we hope you can find something suitable to try in our guide.

Read on to learn about the best pork belly substitutes and how to use them.

Pork Belly Substitute Guide

If you know meat, you know that pork belly and bacon are not the same. Although bacon can be made with pork belly, there are some very unique differences when it comes to detail.

The fact is that pork belly is sold as a piece of meat, as it could be a roast. You can use it to make bacon and it works great, but it can also be used for other meals or dishes. Pork belly is not like any other piece of pork, it is milky and tastes totally different.

Many people stew or roast pork belly. It can also be used to make pulled pork, but it will not have the same flavor as traditional pulled pork, which usually comes from the pork shoulder. Here are some of the most popular ways to cook and serve pork belly.

• homemade bacon
• roast pork belly
• braised pork belly
• Glazed Pork Belly
• Rolled and stuffed pork belly
• Chinese pork dishes
• Chicaronnes (fried pork belly)

One thing that is consistent in most ways of making pork belly is that it is often cooked as a slab of meat and then sliced or otherwise prepared. It is unique in that it is almost smooth like milk, both in taste and texture.

This is what really sets her apart.

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How to choose a pork substitute

There are some specific features of pork belly that set it apart. You will need to consider some of those unique features when choosing an alternative. It may also depend on what you are planning to do.

As we share replacement options, we’ll also share recommendations on what might work best.

We can’t go over every pork belly recipe, but we can give you some really great ideas as we talk about the different alternatives.

Now, what really sets pork belly apart? It is the fat texture that is not fat and the sweet taste .

When looking for suitable alternatives, you’ll want the texture and taste to be at least similar in order to get a suitable substitution.

Most of the substitutes we recommend come from pork, but there are also non-pork substitutes that can be quite similar as well, depending on how they’re prepared.

Remember that you should pay attention to that fatty texture that makes it soft like milk and that touch of sweetness in the flavor.

1. Pork bacon

Pork bacon can be a really great substitute in some cases. In fact, it’s probably one of the most popular substitutes in some cases, but it won’t do everything.

In terms of getting both flavor and texture right , it’s by far the best pork belly substitution option out there.

If you make any type of dish that calls for pork belly, you can use pork bacon as a substitute. The challenge will be finding the right thickness or cut for what you’re making.

If you’re creating a dish that grills like a piece of meat, pork bacon probably won’t be ideal.

Pork bacon can be cooked in many different ways and has the same light sweetness that pork belly is known for. This flavor actually comes from the fat, and the pork bacon has a lot of it to enhance the flavor.

At the same time, pork bacon has layers of fat that make the texture similar to pork belly as well. You get that squishy, squishy texture and feel.

If you’re creating something that uses pork belly as part of the dish, you’ll use almost the same amount of pork belly as a substitute.

This mostly applies to different things, like Chinese dishes, stews, and other hearty dishes that don’t rely on pork as the main part of the meal (like a piece of meat).

The downside to pork bacon is that if you fry it to cook it before using it, a lot of the fat will melt in the cooking process and probably reduce its size.

Pork bacon will already have a higher salt content, so when you season it, you’ll want to season it the same way you would season pork belly, using less salt to accommodate the saltier flavor of the meat it already has.

Other than that, it’s an equal substitution and most likely the closest thing you’ll find that matches in texture and flavor.

2. Pork loin

When it comes to having a bigger item to work with instead of strips of bacon, pork loin is the next best thing.

Pork loin is presented in pieces of iron, almost like very thick steaks. It is very similar to pork belly in style, cut, texture, and flavor. 

The biggest difference between pork loin and pork belly is where in the animal they come from. They are self explanatory.

Pork belly obviously comes from the belly of the animal. As its name suggests, pork loin comes from the loin of the pig.

Pork loin and pork belly are not exactly the same thing. Pork belly is soft because it comes from the belly. What makes lomo gordo similar is that it is meat mixed with fat. The end result is somewhat similar in texture and flavor as a whole.

The great thing about pork loin is that you can cook it exactly the same as pork belly. You can leave it on a griddle and grill it, stew it, turn it into bacon, or whatever else you want to do with it.

Pork loin can be used like pork belly in almost all of the same ways. Although it is slightly different, it has the same effect and will not prevent you from making your recipe in any way. In the end, you probably won’t even notice the difference.

What you may notice is that pork loin has more fat and not as much meat, but when combined, it is similar to pork belly.

If you’re fine with the fat layer, this is where you’ll be able to enjoy the similarities and really feel like it’s a reasonable substitute.

Remember that you can prepare it the same way you would prepare pork belly. Season it well so that the layer of fat tastes good.

3. Pork shoulder

If you’re making something like pulled pork or want to be able to mix it into a sauce or make it into a dish, pork shoulder may be a suitable alternative.

It’s usually not the best choice as a substitute, but don’t rule it out just yet. The pork shoulder is delicious. It’s a popular pork meat option that’s easier to find than pork belly.

At the same time, it’s not always easy to get, so you may have to search for it. However, if you can find it, feel free to try it.

The reason why pork shoulder can make the list of suitable substitutes is that it has a little more fat .

The extra fat gives it a more pork belly-like texture and will also produce some of that different flavor. Again, still quite different, but can do the trick in a pinch.

You can do whatever you want with pork shoulder as a substitute for pork belly. It usually comes in slab form, so you can cut it into chops, roast it, grill it, or whatever else takes your fancy and you won’t be disappointed.

When using pork shoulder as a substitute for pork belly, we recommend that you use a similar amount of meat and use the same types and amounts of seasonings.

Most likely, the taste of the dish will be almost exactly the same. The most noticeable difference will be the texture in this case.

4. Duck

It’s not pork, but duck meat is incredibly similar to pork belly. The textures are almost identical and the flavor of the duck has that sweet/salty edge that pork belly is known for.

Duck is very different from chicken and is produced as a gourmet or luxury meat. It is known for being fattier and sweeter than its chicken counterpart, making it similar to pork belly.

Using duck meat is a bit tricky because it actually works better if you use duck meat bacon instead of a whole duck or something similar.

You can buy duck bacon at the market, but it’s another item that can also be hard to find in some areas or stores.

If you can get hold of duck bacon, you can cook it in any of the same ways you might cook pork belly. The duck will need more seasoning to enhance the flavor and mask the fatness.

It tends to be more bland or even slightly tacky compared to pork belly, so using more seasoning will help.

Again, the duck won’t be exactly like pork belly, but the texture of the meat will be very similar, and the sweetness of the duck will also help with the overall flavors.

5. goose

Like duck, goose is another great substitute for pork belly. With goose, you’ll want to make sure you use the fattest part of the meat available to get that greasy texture.

Almost everything we have told you about the use of duck as a substitute can also be applied to goose meat.

Use the fattest part of the goose meat and take advantage of the bacon from the meat to obtain the best and most similar results.

The drawback to using goose is that it is usually more chewy than soft and mushy like pork belly, so you will need to prepare the meat and soak it to really tenderize it.

Otherwise, you can season it well and cook it the same way as pork belly and it will work quite well.

Vegan or vegetarian option

Just like you would any other type of meat in these two categories, you can use soy as a substitute for pork. Soy is flexible and versatile and you can create almost anything you want with it.

When you use soy, it all depends on how you prepare it and how you season it to make it similar to pork belly. Use dried soybeans and boil them.

To get it soft enough, you will need to boil it longer so that it really absorbs enough water. Season it while it’s in the water so it can absorb whatever flavors you want.

Soy is flavorless, so this is your chance to shine and make it taste exactly how you want it to taste. Although it may not feel or taste exactly like pork belly, it can be made very similar and will work as a suitable alternative in this case.

Alternatively, you can use soft tofu and prepare it with the same seasonings. Tofu can be made to taste like almost any meat, and can even be used as a substitute for andouille sausage.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to the best pork belly substitutes helpful and informative in finding your substitutes.

You have many options to choose from and any of them will work just fine. Some people also recommend tofu or beef bacon as a suitable alternative.

Please take a moment to look at our Q&A section for additional information.

Is there an equivalent of pork belly in beef?

Ox belly button or ox belly is very similar to pork belly, but in the form of ox meat. You may also see it labeled belly button belly. This cut can also be hard to find, just like pork belly.

Does pork belly have another name?

Pork belly is sometimes labeled pork side, which is the same thing. However, more often than not, pork