Beef belly is a flavorful and increasingly popular cut of meat from the cow’s belly region. With its generous marbling and fat cap, beef belly can transform into succulent, fork-tender pieces when cooked properly.
In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about beef belly, including where it comes from on the cow, its characteristics, best cooking methods, flavor profile, nutrition, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or new to beef belly, this guide will help you master cooking this delicious cut.
Where Beef Belly Comes From on the Cow
Beef belly is cut from the underside of the cow, in the belly region between the brisket and plate Underneath the loin primal, the belly runs along the bottom of the ribcage.
This belly location gives beef belly some signature traits:
- A thick fat cap on top
- Heavy marbling throughout
- Part of the abdominal muscle
- Rectangular shape with one thin side
On the cow, the belly protects the organs and provides insulation It contains both fat and muscle tissue.
Key Characteristics of Beef Belly
Here are the main attributes that make beef belly stand out:
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Extremely marbled – Beef belly contains abundant thin streaks of fat finely interspersed through the meat. This marbling ensures moisture, flavor, and tenderness.
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Thick fat cap – A hearty outer layer of fat sits on top and bastes the meat while cooking.
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Tender muscle fibers – With less connective tissue than other cuts, beef belly’s muscle fibers are naturally tender.
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Rich, beefy flavor – The generous marbling gives beef belly a distinctly beefy, savory taste.
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Juicy and succulent – When properly cooked, beef belly becomes exceptionally moist and tender.
This winning combination of qualities makes beef belly a coveted cut for many chefs and home cooks.
Best Cooking Methods for Beef Belly
While versatile, these cooking methods best suit beef belly:
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Smoking – Smoking whole yields incredibly tender, mouthwatering burnt ends. Cook low and slow up to 190°F.
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Braising – Braising cubes transforms them into fall-apart tender morsels.
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Grilling – Quick grilling over high heat makes a caramelized exterior with a tender, juicy interior.
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Curing – Curing yields phenomenal homemade pastrami or bacon.
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Sous vide – Cooks evenly edge to edge and concentrates flavor.
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Stews and chilis – Adds rich, beefy depth when simmered in stews, chilis or sauces.
Beef belly excels when cooked low, slow, and moist. High, dry heat works too but requires close monitoring to prevent overcooking.
Flavor Profile and Texture
When cooked properly, beef belly delivers an unparalleled savory, beefy flavor. During cooking, the fat bastes the meat, keeping it incredibly moist and tender.
Here are some details on the flavor and texture:
- Deep, rich beefy taste from ample marbling
- Juicy, succulent, and fork-tender
- Buttery flavor and mouthfeel from rendered fat
- Crispy, caramelized exterior when seared
- Robust smoky notes when smoked
- Intensified meaty flavors when braised or stewed
Beef belly is best cooked to medium or beyond, between 145°F up to 203°F, for ultimate tenderness.
Nutrition Information
Like many fatty cuts, beef belly is high in calories and fat. A 3 oz serving provides:
- Calories: 245
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Protein: 15g
- Carbs: 0g
While rich, enjoyed in moderation, beef belly can be part of a healthy diet.
How to Prepare Beef Belly for Cooking
Preparing beef belly is straightforward:
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Trim – Trim off any bones, silver skin, or excess hard fat. Leave a 1⁄4 inch fat cap.
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Portion – Cut into appropriately sized pieces for your cooking method. Large for smoking/braising. Small for stew.
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Season – Season all over with salt, pepper, and spices or rubs.
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Refrigerate – Chill until ready to cook if not cooking immediately.
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Temper – Take meat out of fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to take chill off.
Then cook using your chosen method until it reaches your desired doneness, between 145°F to 203°F.
How to Serve Beef Belly
Beef belly can be served deliciously in many ways:
- Smoked, sliced burnt ends with sauce
- Diced in stews, chilis, and braised dishes
- Grilled or seared steaks and medallions
- Chopped/shredded for tacos, sandwiches, nachos, etc.
- Homemade pastrami or bacon
- Bone broth using bones and trimmings
Serve beef belly as the star or use it to add beefy richness to soups, beans, vegetables, and more. It takes well to diverse global flavors.
Popular Uses for Beef Belly
Beyond everyday cooking, beef belly excels when used for:
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Burnt ends – The most popular way to enjoy beef belly. Smoke whole, cube, then sauce.
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Stew meat – Adds hearty beef flavor when braised in stews.
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Chili – Diced beef belly gives tremendous depth to chili.
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Sandwich meat – Especially when cured into pastrami or bacon.
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Broths and stocks – Bones contribute rich body when simmered into broths.
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Charcuterie – Cured beef belly makes phenomenal pastrami or bacon.
Both pro chefs and home cooks prize beef belly for the amazing results it delivers across many dishes.
Where to Buy Beef Belly
Previously hard to find, with beef belly’s expanding popularity, there are now several quality beef belly purchasing options:
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Butcher shops – Ask your local butcher if they can specially source beef belly.
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Online specialty stores – Buy grass-fed or Wagyu beef belly from online purveyors.
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Wholesale distributors – Source large volumes from foodservice distributors.
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Farms – Check directly with regional beef producers.
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Ethnic grocers – Asian and Hispanic markets sometimes stock beef belly.
For best results, seek out pasture-raised beef belly when possible for superior marbling and flavor.
A Prized and Versatile Cut
Beef belly is surging in popularity because when properly prepared, this well-marbled, fatty cut becomes an incredibly moist, tender and beefy-flavored addition to many dishes. With stellar results across smoking, braising, grilling and curing applications, it’s easy to see why beef belly is a cook’s delight.
With unmatched beefy richness, beef belly is worth seeking out and experimenting with in your kitchen. Use this complete guide to gain confidence with preparing beef belly and incorporating it into your cooking repertoire.
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$46 4.25-4.75 lbs / ships frozen 4.25-4.75 lbs / ships frozen
Youve had Pork Belly, now its time to introduce Beef Belly to your smoker. This fatty cut is perfect for beef burnt ends or smoking whole, and even better for homemade bacon. We dry age our pasture-raised beef sides whole, which means our Beef Belly has tons of flavor before you even start layering on seasonings and sauces. Cook low and slow to render some of the fat and create a tender final product.
Hormone Free No Antibiotics Pasture-Raised
Our butchers carefully trim the beefs belly to create a large cut with lots of fat, and lots of pasture-raised and dry aged beef flavor.
Low and slow is the name of the game whether youre making burnt ends, or homemade bacon. To achieve burnt end perfection, smoke whole until you hit your belly hits an internal temp of 170°F, then wrap and cook to 190°F. Cut into cubes and throw it in a pan with sauce and smoke until tender
Getting it ready for the smoker
It has a bit more fat on it, so you should trim that down to about a centimetre. When putting it in a smoker, the hard, outside fat on a big piece of meat like this doesn’t render down, but it can offer some protection.
You can put the side with the centimetre of fat and the harder fat facing the heat source, for instance, to just give the meat a bit of protection while you’re cooking it slowly.
Then you’ve got the other side. It has less fat but gets what we call the silver skin. You should try to trim off as much of the silver skin as you can. It doesn’t melt either, so it can be quite chewy.
If you’re in a barbecue competition, for instance, you should remove 100% of this. It’s quite a tedious job but it will be worth it. It can act as a barrier to smoke, so getting rid of it means more chance of getting a nice smoke ring.
It’s also important that the whole thing’s quite even and flat. For home cooking you may not be too fastidious but it’s vital in competition cooking because you want every slice to look identical and you want a nice, even cook.
Now that we’ve trimmed, we want to apply a simple yet effective rub. You can use a binder such as American mustard or Worcestershire sauce but be careful not to use too much.
If you layer it on too thick your bark can get really thick and crusty, and not in a good way. You want a nice, strong bark on your beef, but you don’t want that sort of thick, almost pasty bark.
For beef it pays to keep it simple: just go salt, pepper and a little bit of garlic powder. That’s Texas-style and we all know the Texans know barbecue.
Apply it evenly and liberally but try not to make it too thick. And ensure you cover the entire piece of beef. You can then leave it for 15 minutes or so to tack up before putting it in the smoker.
Beef Belly on a Pellet Smoker | Mad Scientist BBQ
FAQ
What cut of meat is beef belly?
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Wrong Direction Farmhttps://wrongdirectionfarm.comBraised and BBQ’d Beef Belly Brisket – Wrong Direction FarmMay 12, 2023 — Just a little context in case you aren’t familiar with this cut. It isn’t the same as the brisket, it’s actually the cut of meet right behind the br…
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Porter Roadhttps://porterroad.comBeef Belly | Dry Aged Beef, Pasture-Raised with No antibiotics or hormones – Porter Road
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Steak School by Stanbrokehttps://steakschool.comRare cuts: What to do with beef navel – Steak School by Stanbroke
Is beef belly good to eat?
Beef belly is a flavorful and fatty cut that comes from the lower portion of the cow’s abdomen. Its rich marbling makes it ideal for slow cooking methods that break down the fat and collagen, resulting in a tender, melt-in-your-mouth dish.
Is beef belly the same as bacon?
Simply put, beef bacon is a variation of regular bacon made from beef rather than pork. Pork bacon is generally made from sliced pork belly. Like traditional bacon, beef bacon can also be made from the beef belly. However, it can also be made from the brisket or round for leaner options.
Is beef belly expensive?
Beef Belly $6.00 per lb. Average weight 10 – 13 lb. Price is per pound. Meat prices are based on current market prices.