# Pork belly prices?



## rowdyrawhide (Aug 16, 2013)

I stopped by one of the local butchers yesterday and was quoted $3.89/lb for pork bellies.  Is this a pretty good price, is there anything certain I want to ask for?  I am planning on making some home made bacon.

Thanks 

aaron


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## smokinhusker (Aug 16, 2013)

I pay $3.99 lb and have to order 35 lbs if skinless and 60 lbs if skin on. That sounds pretty reasonable.


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## buttburner (Aug 16, 2013)

I pay about $2.69 lb in Michigan

try an Asian market. You might do better there


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## cmw6300 (Aug 16, 2013)

Thats about half of what I have been quoted. I just called yesterday and was quoted $7.99 out here in Colorado.


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## themule69 (Aug 16, 2013)

I paid 3.99 last week. It was skin on. The time before that it was 2.99 for the same thing. As said above try a Asian market.

Happy smoken.

David


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## foamheart (Aug 16, 2013)

Look around, my butcher (small independent grocer), says that they have bellies that others ordered to make cracklin's, When the folks realize that 4 bellies is more than they can do on their house stove they seem to disappear and never pick up the rest. One of those things were they know their grand pere did 'em and want to reconnect with their roots, but then they realize you have to do it outside where its hot and there are bugs its loses it allure. LOL

Oddly she said I was the first she had heard of around here, that wanted to make bacon. Course with these meatless Swift's bellies I can see why. LOL I wish I could get my bacon where Craig, Moklei, Bear get those big thick pretty meaty bellies. Unless you are going to hang 'em to smoke 'em and need the skin, I like the idea of skinless. Why? Because I bet you'd get thicker bellies. I assure you that part of my bellies could not be pre-skined. But with such a lucky break I got got, I am not really bitching. BTW the last two bellies are in the brine now.

One more thing I'll throw out. My butcher said she'd slice my bacon for free. Last batch she cryo sealed also. Was thinking of a good thank you present, she laughed and said they could take tips....LOL I was thinking maybe a fifth of Knob. Thinking I like the butcher as a friend. BTW she gave me her home number last week in case I needed something and couldn't catch her at work.

Thats my idea of a good butcher, cheapest is not always the bestest. Make a new friend.


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## got grits (Aug 17, 2013)

the last ones I got were 2.22 a lb. It was around 60 lbs, so I just make 30 lbs batches at a time.


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## chefbillohio (Aug 20, 2013)

Not a bad price, but a little cheaper here in Ohio. You also may want to try using jowl meat (cheeks) for bacon. I personally prefer them over bellies. I think the meat is a bit sweeter and the fat has a real richness to it! Oh, around here I pay about $2.60/lb for cheeks.


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## dr k (Aug 21, 2013)

Everywhere around here is $3.99/lb. except for Raber Meat Packing.  They're $2.99/lb. skin on no minimum.  I called to see about pink cure #1 that they sell @ $3/lb.  Buddy the owners grandson gave me a tour of the plant and sold me one of his primo skinless 12/lb. bellies he uses in competitions @ $2.99/lb.  I cut it into thirds and froze them till we get cooler outdoor temperatures.


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## daveomak (Aug 22, 2013)

The last case of bellies I ordered....  $2.69 for 60#'s......  My local market has a butcher shop and fish market in it....  locally owned...  good folks to deal with....    

Dave


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## jeff 1 (Aug 27, 2013)

I just paid 2.69 for a skin on belly yesterday, not a real thick belly but I'm happy


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## bennyshaik (Aug 29, 2013)

It's impossible to find here in CT. Butchers (we have almost no butcher shops, just grocery stores) have told me they won't order it for me due to it being hard to sell and I don't have the need/want/etc to buy a whole case. Finally found it at the ShopRite (of Norwich, if anyone is from CT their butcher is AWESOME. Every single part of the animal, great prices). I got it with skin & bone for $2.49/lb a few weeks ago. Bacon's being smoked this weekend...


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## mneeley490 (Aug 29, 2013)

If belly is expensive or hard to come by, I have found an excellent substitute. Buy pork butt, and trim it off 2" or so along the fatty side. It will resemble pork belly, and cures and tastes the same. Then make pulled pork or whatever you like with the rest.

Also, I can almost always find butt at $.99-$1.49 lb.  Not so with belly.


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## idaho (Sep 1, 2013)

Since it is fair time check with the butcher's now or people who do slaughter. They get a lot of pig's that the people buy for 4H kids to make money and do not want the pig so they sell them at market rate to the public, We call them turn pig's. I am going to call this week and see how much for belly here. For a new guy is it better to do skin on or off?


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## mneeley490 (Sep 1, 2013)

Skin off is easier. You're going to remove it anyway, and why pay bacon price for skin? Though some folks do use the skin to make cracklin's.


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## jeff 1 (Oct 1, 2013)

Just picked up a 50 lb case skinless for 2.09 lb in Oklahoma.


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## dr k (Oct 2, 2013)

Jeff 1 said:


> Just picked up a 50 lb case skinless for 2.09 lb in Oklahoma.














   Wow! That's a great price for skinless.  Are there four per case?  I wish I had more freezer space.


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## jeff 1 (Oct 2, 2013)

There was 5. Last case I orderd had 3 skin on


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## pappapig (Oct 28, 2013)

Just found skinless for $2.25/lb in Toccoa GA


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## jesalba (Oct 29, 2013)

$1.40 per pound for fresh bellies at Boones,Bartsdown.


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## justracn15 (Nov 2, 2013)

Been paying between 2.59 and 3.29 a lb. for them at the Chinese grocery store here in Missouri. Have a local butcher getting me a #40 case right now for 2.79 lb. but I can handle that amount and more.  Seems like some of the prices in this thread are way out of line. The price of bellies go up and down daily as they are a commodity that's traded on the stock market daily.


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## foamheart (Nov 2, 2013)

I believe that they quit trading on pork bellies a couple a years back, didn't they? I remember laughing when they added the porkbellies to the futures market.


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## justracn15 (Nov 2, 2013)

Not sure but the price fluctuates quite a bit.  Something else I have been buying , curing , and smoking along with my bacons are hocks that I've been getting at the Chinese grocery also! Added them to my red beans and rice last week and they were awesome!!


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## foamheart (Nov 2, 2013)

Hard to find fresh nocks anywhere any more.


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## dr k (Nov 3, 2013)

I was getting ready to cure my pork belly I commented on page one of this thread then saw a sale at Hyvee for bacon @ $2.97/lb.  I couldn't pass that up.  Looks like I'll have to postpone it for a month till I use up the store bought bacon.

-Kurt


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