Pork Belly Taco Recipe

Prepare and marinate pork belly

Trim the pork belly of excess silver skin if present and cut into 1-inch thick slices or 1.5-inch cubes depending on preferred taco filling size. Pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl whisk together tamarind paste, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper, and 1/2 cup water to loosen the tamarind. Add pork pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight for best flavor.

Sear and braise

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear pieces in batches until browned on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer all seared pieces back to the skillet. Pour reserved marinade over pork and add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover with a lid or foil, then transfer to the oven. Braise until fork-tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Finish pork belly

Once tender, remove pork from oven. If sauce is thin, place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat and reduce the braising liquid to a glossy glaze, about 5–8 minutes. Spoon glaze over pork pieces. For crisp edges, place pork on a rimmed sheet pan and broil 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until edges caramelize. Let rest 5 minutes, then chop or shred pork to bite-sized pieces suitable for tacos.

While pork is braising (pickling can be done ahead), place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat just until sugar and salt dissolve, about 1–2 minutes. Pour hot brine over onions, pressing them down so they are submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (best 1 hour). Onions will keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Combine diced pineapple, red bell pepper, minced jalapeño (adjust heat to taste), finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, 1.5 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp honey in a bowl. Stir to combine and taste, adjusting salt, lime or honey as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use. Salsa can be made up to 6 hours ahead for flavors to meld.

Warm corn tortillas: heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with a little vegetable oil and warm 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred. Keep tortillas wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.

Assemble tacos: divide the chopped/shredded glazed pork belly among the warm tortillas (about 2 oz pork per taco). Top each with 1–2 tablespoons spicy pineapple salsa, a few slices of pickled red onion, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. If using, drizzle a teaspoon of crème fraîche or crema over each taco. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Serve: present immediately while pork and tortillas are warm. Leftover pork can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the glaze.