The Costco Pork Cut A MasterChef Contestant Always Recommends

Shawn Niles, aka The Fat Pastor, really knows his way around a reality TV stove as a former "MasterChef" alum and contestant on Netflix's "Best Leftovers Ever!" This Washington state-based man of God has showcased his passion for cooking and for fusing Asian flavors in eclectic food pairings like five spice fried chicken and Chinese savory refried bean pancakes in oyster sauce with tea smoked okra. But with two cooks vying for the glory in his home kitchen (his son Asher was a MasterChef Junior contestant), buying in bulk becomes a necessity.

And nothing hits that sweet spot for Niles like the whole pork belly at Costco. In an interview with The Kitchn, Niles shared that this beloved cut of pork (one of the best values in terms of meat cuts at Costco) is one he always recommends snagging from Costco's expansive aisles. "Costco really has led the charge on providing whole bellies (most stores will, at best, provide strips of cut-up belly and, at worst, nothing at all)," he said.

Buying a whole pork belly when it's priced under $4 a pound may sound like a no brainer if you own a smoker and are thinking of making your own bacon or a bacon-like smoked pork steak. But it might also serve you well to think outside that bacony box when it comes to whole pork belly recipes. In fact, you might consider taking a page from Niles' playbook and trying your hand at the Asian flavor profiles he favors so much. Use your newfound bounty in a selection of dishes from rich pork belly fried rice, to redolently homey tonkotsu ramen, or gua bao (open pork belly buns) for an unforgettably sweet-sticky-savory mouthful that will leave you licking your fingers. And while Niles' taste for Asian spices was born of the years he spent living in Hawaii, you can use his inspiration to take your tastebuds (and your Costco pork belly) on a culinary whirlwind tour exploring cuisines from Italy to Mexico and even India with the tastes of pork belly gnocchi, pork belly tacos, and spicy heat-laden pork belly vindaloo.

As chef Niles said, "For those who serve pork belly on the regular like me or just really enjoy it at home with their families, Costco provides an excellent opportunity to buy skin-off, fat-on, delicious pig tummy."