Pork Bellies???
 

Anyone have a good spot for pork bellies in the northern 'burbs of Chicago or southern Wisconsin area? I can't butcher until late January/early February this year and I am out of bacon! That is too long to wait.

Try your local Asian markets if there are any around you they should have bellies.

I have good luck at my local Hispanic market also. You should have seen their eyes when I told them i wanted the entire Beef Rib Rack. It was funny.

good luck

I don't have any first hand knowledge of that area. In Northern Virginia I found a local butcher shop that supplied my pork belly.

However, one data point that might be useful to you, is I went to the local supermarket chain (Giant here) and asked their butcher shop about Pork Belly. They told me, "We don't stock that, but we can order it for you"

So if you can't find another (better) option, you can see if your local supermarket butcher shop will order it for you.

You might try some of the smaller privately owned grocery stores. They seem to be much more eager to accomodate.

I just found out yesterday that a small grocery store just a few miles from where I live carries both small pieces and whole sides of pork belly. Guess what I'm starting this weekend? Bought a small 1.5 pound piece to try out.

Russ