A little help with pork belly please.

[texbowhunter316]

I was wondering how much weight loss you get from removing the skin on a pork belly, percentage wise?
I have narrowed it down to two places to get them.
Big chain store $4.95 lbs skin off
Local Hispanic market $2.89 skin on.
I am probably going with the local guys just because I would rather give them my money but I was courious about the weight loss of the skin.
I'm on the gulf coast and I know you can lose 50% on crawfish and shrimp after peeling but I wouldn't think it would be as much on meat

 

[graywolf1936]

I am not sure but the belly I have curing was right at six pounds with skin on, I think I did a good job on removing the skin and ended up with five pounds of belly. Tomorrow I am going to weigh the skin because I have it frozen. Now this piece eas very lean and thick.

 

[texbowhunter316]

Thanks Greywolf, I didn't figure it would be to much.

 

[foamheart]

I have smoked the ones I have done with the skin on, because I don't trin till its all cured. That way all the trim doesn't just end up as fat scrap for sausage but instead I get a pile of 'bacon Trim' which I use in red beans, pintos, veggies, gumbos, etc etc......

This is the bacon,

Last bacon 003.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 11, 2014

This is the trim,

Trim 002.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 11, 2014

Just think of all those happy pots of beans!

BTW my buddy Mr Bear was the one how showed the error of my ways.

 

[daveomak]

The FDA considers the skin to be 10% of the total weight of the belly.... That's the number they use for the correct amount of cure to add to a "skin on" belly.... reduce the cure by 10% for skin on....

And for me, to remove the skin is about 30-45 minutes labor.... but I'm not worth much on an hourly basis... :biggrin:

 

[texbowhunter316]

Thanks for the info guys. I will probably leave the skin on now.I'm always making things that can use some Smokey trimmings.


Dave, your experience is worth more than your physical labor I bet.
Knowledge is worth its weight in gold. I've read a pile of yours and foams post on here.
Thanks guys.