Pork Belly: Meat from the Emperor

Ironically, its rating is contrary to its colloquial name in the Croatian language – carsko meso. This literary means: the emperor's meat. Yet, real connoisseurs now what they are dealing with. Pork belly is much appreciated in Zagreb's cuisine, especially as a classic family dinner roast or barbecue special. Treat it well and it will make you happy in return.

“Ask your local butcher for a nice chunk of carsko meso.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Of course, you are wondering where this magnificent name – the emperor's meat (also flesh, since the Croatian word meso covers both) – comes from. Was it once a rare treat reserved for royals and their entourage only? Not quite, although I'm sure they also had it on their plates. If you start a research, you'll keep finding one incredible story. Supposedly, in the old days when a premature baby was born, and of course there were no incubators around, they would wrap the baby in a soft pork belly to keep it warm and protected. It's not that the emperor would personally see to it, but since the hospitals were state-owned and the emperor embodies the state, you could say the pigs slaughtered to become neonatal incubators were the emperor's pigs. After the pork belly served its primary and noble purpose, it would be given to peasants and lower classes as food. A gift from the Emperor. Sounds a bit far-fetched, maybe? Although hard to prove, the story is not unlikely.

“Good thing about pork belly roast is that it can also be eaten cold, especially with some condiments.” Image credit: Tatjana Baretić 

By the way, the word Kaiserfleisch in German means something a bit different than carsko meso in Croatian. It refers to the same cut of meat, but dry-cured and smoked. Delicious as well, but let's stick to raw stuff. When you buy your big chunk of pork belly at a more than fair price, wash it, rub it with salt and marinate it well. Roast it slowly in the oven and you can't go wrong. The result should be soft and tender meat with super crispy golden skin. You can also roll it or grill it in a pan. Often it's on the menus of barbecue parties, cut into pieces and marinated, but here you really need to be an expert not to overdo it. It's really sad to witness a fine piece of pork belly turned into a pile of dry, tough and carbonized strips.

“Pork belly rolled and then slowly roasted on a spit over an open fire, now that's imperial food!” Image credit: Marijino zvono

In restaurants, pork belly is not so common, maybe because it doesn't enjoy the same status as more expensive and prestigious cuts like the fillet, tenderloin or chops. You can find it as part of the mixed meat platter in various BBQ restaurants, or just roasted as a speciality on its own. Marijino zvono restaurant near the Sava River is one of the places where you can enjoy slowly grilled rolled pork belly and fall in love in this underrated piece of meat. The Italians have turned pork belly into a rolled and stuffed specialty called porchetta. Try a little bit different version from a smoker grill as prepared by Smokeraj in downtown Zagreb. For many chefs, pork belly is an opportunity to get creative and make something more than just a pile of wonderfully grilled meat. Luckily, pork belly is compatible with a wide range of spices, herbs, sauces and vegetables. And you don't have to be rich like an emperor to enjoy a good piece of pork belly.  Luckily, sometimes it doesn't take much to have an imperial meal.

“Pork belly creativity unleashed by famous food writer Zlatko Gall.” Image credit: Zlatko Gall

Header image credit: Taste of Croatia 

Author: Morana Zibar/Taste of Croatia