The next big thing in low and slow cooking is smoked pork belly, which combines all the flavors you love in good barbecue: the luscious smoky flavor of slow-cooked pork and finger-licking juiciness.
Since it is now more widely available, it’s a great option for making some delicious smoked pork belly! Pork belly used to only be available as cured bacon or off of the whole hog, but these days it is simple to get your hands on a slab of the uncured stuff at most butchers (even Costco!).
The meat-to-fat ratio in pork belly makes it ideal for both the quick cooking crisping (like in bacon) and the low and slow style of cooking to render the fat and tenderize all of the muscle. The approach I took with this particular BBQ smoked pork belly was to keep things as simple as possible and really maximize the natural flavor of the meat itself. I have played with pork belly before when curing my own bacon and making my famous pork belly baked beans.
Having the rind removed will allow the smoke and flavor from the rub to better penetrate the meat. I used a pork belly with the skin/rind removed, and I definitely recommend it. I bought my belly with the skin already removed. If you would also like to start with the skin removed on your pork belly, I’m sure your butcher would do this for you. Otherwise, you can remove it yourself with a sharp fillet knife.
- Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 250 degrees F.
- Prep pork belly burnt ends for smoking. …
- Place seasoned pork belly on a wire rack for smoking.
- Smoke pork belly for 2 – 3 hours (close the lid) until the internal temperature reaches 160 – 170 degrees F.
Smoked Pork Belly in a Pellet Smoker
Smoked Pork Belly 🔗
Pork belly is the king of bacon. If you love that crisp, salty, smoky breakfast treat you need to try this Smoked Pork Belly!
Prep: 5min
Total: 185min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 611 kcal, Carbohydrate 5.6 g, Protein 11.1 g, Fat 60.4 g, Saturated Fat 22 g, Cholesterol 81.6 mg, Sodium 39.7 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 3.2 g, unSaturated Fat 34.6 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1-1.5 lb pork belly
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
Instruction:
- Make the rub. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl.
- Take 1-inch thick strips of pork belly, and coat all sides with the dry rub. Ensure all sides are thoroughly coated.
- Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 225°F
- Place the pork belly strips directly onto the smoker grate and cook for approximately three hours or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Remove the strips from the smoker and serve. We salt the pork belly to taste after cooking but if you prefer you can add salt to the rub.
FAQ
How long does pork belly take to smoke at 225?
The smoker should be heated to 225 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the wood chips and placing the pork belly inside. The pork belly should be cooked in the smoker using indirect heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
How long does it take to smoke pork belly on a smoker?
Close the lid on the preheated grill and place the pork belly over indirect heat; smoke the meat for 4-5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do you flip pork belly when smoking?
After seasoning, spread the mixture over the cubes of pork belly, rotating them to ensure that all sides are evenly seasoned. After two hours, transfer the cubes to an aluminum drip pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Cook the cubes for an additional two hours.
What do you spray on pork belly when smoking?
Spray the pork with some of the water or apple juice in your spray bottle every hour while it is cooking to help the meat retain moisture.