For years I could not find a pork belly for sale in Baton Rouge and it was frustrating. However, once a Costco opened up we now have an embarrassment of pork belly riches! Our Costco three types of pork bellies and each one is great for certain applications.
This article will walk you through the different pork belly options at Costco and help you figure out which one is right for you!
The three types of pork belly for sale at Costco are:
- Whole Pork Belly
- Sliced Pork Belly
- Sous Vide Cooked Porked Belly Slices
Let’s look at each of these in more detail.
Whole Pork Belly
Costco usually has whole bellies for sale and they are the least expensive option on a per pound basis.
These bellies almost always weigh in at over ten pounds and, as of July, 2021, cost about $4 per pound.
Why You Want a Whole Belly
One reason you should buy the whole belly if you want to cure and smoke your own bacon. You can cut one of these 10 pound slabs in half and experiment with two different flavor profiles in your cure mix.
The finished bacon freezes well. I would suggest slicing the finished bacon into one pound batches and sealing in Foodsaver bags for storage in the freezer.
Another reason to buy the whole belly is if you are cooking for a crowd and are cost conscience. You will be hard pressed to find a belly at a cheaper price than this and if you are running a restaurant or doing a catering gig then the buying he whole belly will help you manage costs.
Sliced Pork Belly
Costco offers packages of pork belly that have been cut into slices that are about an inch and half thick. The packages typically weigh about six pounds and, as of July, 2021, cost about $5 per pound.
Why You Want Sliced Belly
When I am shopping for pork belly these slices are what I usually buy.
I like that I can easily cube these slices up for a pan of pork belly burnt ends and I also find working with six pounds of belly is just easier to manage than fooling around with a 10-12 whole belly.
Lastly, I LOVE that I can tell how meaty or fatty each package is before I buy. Everyone has their own preference for how much fat they want in their belly but I prefer mine on the meaty side.
Sous Vide Pork Belly Slices
Last up on the list of belly options are the packages of sliced belly that have been cured, smoked and cooked Sous Vide. These packages contain about 2.5 pounds of cooked belly and, as of July, 2021, cost about $6.50 per pound.
The package contains two vacuum sealed pouches with each pouch containing five slices of belly. This is a Kirkland Signature brand product.
Why You Want the Sous Vide Pork Belly Slices
These slices are absolutely perfect for when you want to make a dinner that features pork belly but you do not have the time, or do not want the hassle, of curing and cooking the belly yourself.
All you need to do to prepare this belly is take it out of the package and sear it in a pan to crisp up the surface. There are several serving suggestions on the packaging and the pork belly slider with slaw looks like perfection on a bun.
Another great reason to buy this product is it lets you experiment with pork belly without making a big commitment. Some people are surprised by how fatty this cut of pork is and do not like the texture. If you have never tried pork belly before then this is a great starting point.