Specials for Sunday Sept. 20th

Scallops with Pork Belly over Crisp Dumplings, Mushrooms and Leeks with Apple Cider Vinegar Syrup $18.99

Welcome fans of Bluestone! Chef Michael here with my first blog.
So how many people know about pork belly?........

Ok well a brief description then. Pork belly is just what it sounds like and is taken from the belly of a pig. It is where bacon is derived. The difference in cooking is where its at. While bacon is typically smoked and often cured, then sliced into strips, pork belly is cooked whole. There are many varying techniques but the end result is what's important. Tender, melt in your mouth meat with a slight cap of crispy fat is the objective. The pairing of sweet seared scallops along with the sweet and tangy vinegar syrup makes the flavors really pop! Here's how I prepare my pork belly.
And feel free to hit me with any questions or ideas!


1 pork belly (8-12 lbs. avg.)
2 tbls pork rub(black pepper, brown sugar, cumin, celery salt, kosher salt)
6 large onions sliced thin

Set your oven to 300 degrees. Place the pork in a 2-4 inch deep pan with the onions on the bottom. Rub the meat well and set it on the onions with the fat side up. Let it cook slowly, covered with aluminum foil, for about 3 hours. This an approximate time as size of the meat may vary. When the belly is easily pierced with a knife and the meat can be pulled away it is done. Further cooking will make the pork belly even more tender but more difficult to cut into easy to work with chunks, but cook it how you like. Let the meat cool before cutting and save the onions and drippings, they make a great sauce!