The Difference Between Pork Belly And Pork Stomach: You’ll Never Guess Which One Is Better!

Pork stomach and pork belly are both delicious parts of the pig, but they have different cooking methods.
I'm an experienced food writer and passionate cook. My website, Cookindocs.com, features accessible, informative, and engaging content with quality recipes and articles that are thoroughly researched and enjoyable to read. You can trust my expertise with 8 years of experience in the field. Learn more about me and my work on this website, and check out my featured articles on TastingTable, Mashed, and 5-Minute Crafts. Read more about me HERE.
Pork stomach is great for braising or stewing.
Pork belly on the other hand is best when roasted to crisp up all those perfect little layers.
This blog post will explore what exactly pork belly pork stomach and pork belly is and how they differ so you can choose which cut works better in your recipe.
What is special about pork stomach?
[amazon fields=”B01BK0Q8SQ” value=”thumb” image=”1″ image_size=”large” image_align=”center”]
[amazon fields=”B01BK0Q8SQ” value=”button”]
Some people might think that pork stomach is just a part of the pig’s body and cannot be cooked in any way.
However, this is not true!
Pork stomach can be made into several dishes such as boiled pork belly, fried bacon strips, or even bacon steaks with various seasonings added for more flavor.
What is special about pork belly?
[amazon fields=”B07SDQBNY7″ value=”thumb” image=”1″ image_size=”large” image_align=”center”]
[amazon fields=”B07SDQBNY7″ value=”button”]
Pork belly is a cut of meat from the underside of the pig.
It’s typically used for bacon and other types of pork products, but it can be prepared in many different ways depending on how you want to cook it.
Pork belly has a high fat content, which makes it perfect for dishes that require slow cooking or braising in liquid because they will become tender and flavorful as the fat renders out during cooking.
What are the differences between pork stomach and pork belly?
What are the differences between pork stomach and pork belly? Below is a table which compares these two.
One might not think there would be much distinction, but it turns out that they have quite different properties.
Pork stomach | Pork belly | |
Texture | – Pork stomach is a less fatty cut of meat than pork belly – Pork stomach is chewier and tougher than pork belly | – Pork belly has fatter – Pork belly has more connective tissue that must be removed before cooking it |
Flavor | The flavor of the meat from pork stomach is stronger than that of pork belly | Pork belly has less flavor than pork stomach. |
Cooking methodPork stomach is often used for sausagePork belly can be cured and smokedServingPork stomach is a thin cut of meat that can be served with rice and vegetablesPork belly is a thick cut of meat, often used for bacon or pork chopsPricePork stomach is less expensive than pork belly. | Pork belly tends to be more expensive |
What are the similarities between pork stomach and pork belly?
1. The first similarity between pork stomach and pork belly is that they are both cut from the pig’s abdomen
They’re both cuts of meat taken from a pig’s abdominal cavity! Additionally, you may know these meats by different names depending on where you live; for example “chitterlings” or “haggis” to those who hail from Ireland and Scotland respectively.
2. Pork stomachs and bellies are both cured with salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate to make them more tender
Pork stomachs and bellies undergo a curing process that endows them with more tenderness.
The salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate are what make the cuts of meat into something delicious to eat!
3. They are also smoked before being cooked to give them a distinctive flavor
Pork stomachs and bellies make for excellent BBQ food because of the high fat content which makes up their meat, allowing it to withstand longer cooking times without drying out or getting too tough.
The best part about smoking pork belly is that you can then cut slices from it like ham!
4. Finally, these two cuts of meat have a similar cooking time (about 2 hours) because they’re so fatty
Pork stomachs and bellies have an interesting cooking time.
They both require a long 2 hours of simmering so that the fat can melt away easily, but their flavor is vastly different from one another.
Which one is better?
Product Comparison | [amazon fields=”B07SDQBNY7″ value=”title”] | [amazon fields=”B01BK0Q8SQ” value=”title”] |
Product Image | [amazon fields=”B07SDQBNY7″ value=”thumb”] | [amazon fields=”B01BK0Q8SQ” value=”thumb”] |
Latest Price | [amazon fields=”B07SDQBNY7″ value=”button”] | [amazon fields=”B01BK0Q8SQ” value=”button”] |
If you want to be a great chef, it is important to have an understanding of which cuts of pork are best for what dishes.
Pork belly is the perfect cut for your next roast dinner.
If you’re looking to switch up your everyday braising and stewing, then pork stomach may be a better choice of meat.
What do you think? Let’s take this information into consideration when deciding to use these two different cuts in your next recipe!
- Bacon Vs. Pork Belly (And Why You Need Both)
- 5 Best Side Dishes To Serve With Pork Belly Cracklings: It’s Time To Get Saucy
- 6 Great Side Dish Ideas To Pair With Your Pork Belly Bao Buns
- 5 Orange Chicken Side Dish Recipes That’ll Blow Your Mind
- The Difference Between Fat Back and Pork Belly: It’s Not What You Think