Meat lovers, gather ‘round! Or, more specifically, devotees of pork belly, and lovers of that unctuous pinnacle of pork – crackling. Says Ashleigh Togher.
Tucked into bustling street-food markets around town is Pigling Street, headed up by chief pork-belly devotee Giuliano Crispini. Their stall is a thing to behold, as Giuliano and team roast temptingly perfect parcels of pork and fry large, indulgent duck eggs in front of hungry revellers – assembling their dishes with speed, skill and warmth.
The pork belly sandwich is a creature of beauty, with a layers of rare-breed pork meat and crispy crackling topped with sweet and sour pickles, apple sauce and a fresh fried duck egg on a semi-sweet brioche bun. But the Pigling box is the real winner, in my opinion: with shredded lettuce and carrot, heaps of piquant house-made pickles, chilli sauce and apple sauce, topped with generous chunks of pork belly… and yes, plenty of crispy crackling. Plus a silken over-easy duck egg, if you’re feeling extra extravagant.
Giuliano is passionate about pork, and it shows. Far leaner and more tender than your average pork belly, the pork used has been painstakingly selected from one of the finest pig farms in the UK. Grown outdoors on a free-range Suffolk farm, Pigling Street only use Blythburgh pork, a breed specially chosen for its unique leanness, texture, flavour and ethical rearing.
So if you have a penchant for pork belly, a craving for crackling, or are after some street food that actually leaves you satisfied, then follow the scent of happily roasting piglings to Pigling Street.
Where to find Pigling Street London
Wednesday - Friday
Sclater street, London
11.30am - 2pm
Saturday
Backyard Market, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, same postcode
11 - 5pm
Sunday
Brick Lane Market
10am - 4pm
www.piglingstreet.com
Twitter @piglingst
Instagram pigling_street
Ashleigh Togher was a guest of Pigling Street