Smoked pork belly strips are a huge hit with my family and friends. They take a bit of preparation but doing it right and you can end up with juicy caramelized pork candy!
I’ve perfected my strips, and these turn out crispy but still melt in your mouth. These will so fast at any cookout or backyard BBQ that I would recommend doing a double batch.
Why You’ll Love This Smoked Pork Belly Strips Recipe
You’ll love this smoked pork belly strips recipe because once you know how to do it once, you’ll want to make them again and again. They turn out absoluley delicious and so moreish!
The recipe itself isn’t overly complicated. If you’re a bit of a fiend for the smoker and you want to try and smoke as many things as possible, this is one of those meals you want to have under your belt.
What You’ll Need to Cook Smoked Pork Belly Strips
- Pork Belly
- Kosher Salt
- BBQ Rub
How to Cook Pork Belly Strips
Step 1: Prepare Sliced Pork Belly & Add the Dry Rub
- Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels
- Trim the fat cap to 1/2 an inch.
- Score the fat with a very sharp knife but don’t penetrate the meat.
- Cut the belly into even strips with a thickness of 2 inches.
- Apply kosher sea salt to pork belly strips and let sit for 1 hour uncovered in the fridge to draw out moisture.
- Then wipe off excess salt and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Next, add your bbq rub on both sides to dry brine overnight.
Step 2: Smoke the Pork Belly
- Load the pellets, prime, set the grill temperature to 220°F, and wait until up to temp.
- Evenly place the pork belly slices in an oven dish & place them in the smoker.
- Insert the temperature probes and monitor until 205°F this usually takes around 90 minutes.
Step 3: Sear the Pork Belly Strips
- If you plan on serving the pork belly strips immediately; crank up a skillet or griddle and sear the strips on high heat to get crispy pork crackling then serve.
- If you plan on serving them later, place when in the fridge, and just before you plan to serve then crank up a skillet or griddle and sear the strips on high heat to get crispy pork crackling then serve.
What Temperature to Smoke Smoked Pork Belly Strips At
These smoked pork belly strips will smoke at 220°F for an hour and a half
What Internal Temperature You Need to Reach for Smoked Pork Belly Strips
The pork strips will reach 205°F internally when they’re completely finished cooking. It’s okay if it’s over, but try and make sure it hits that temperature before you take the strips out of the smoker.
What to Serve With Smoked Pork Belly Strips
There are loads of sides and dishes that complement smoked pork belly strips (even though they’re amazing on their own).
Some things you can try are:
- fried rice with egg, peas and bacon
- shredded on used a topping on pulled pork sandwich, greek salad, or a soup
- Chop in to pieces and stir into raman, smoked mash potatoes, fried rice, pasta or baked beans
- Slice and put into smoked Cuban sandwiches, BLT sandwiches or a grilled cheese.
- smoked mash potatoes
How to Store Leftover Smoked Pork Belly Slices
You can store leftover smoked pork belly strips in a container for up to a week.
My Favorite Wood Chips for Smoked Pork Belly Strips
The best wood chips to use are something slightly heavier but fruity. In this case, I like to use hickory and cherry. Pork fat soaks up smoke really well.
You can mix different wood chips as well to achieve the desired flavor. If you’re experienced in this department definitely go with what you know is going to taste good, or else, I do a blend of hickory and cherry.
I find that’s always worked amazingly with pork.
Some Hot Tips for Smoking Pork Belly Strips
Leave your strips out of the fridge for about 20 minutes so they reach room temperature before you smoke them.
This will help your smoker do less work and your pork will cook more evenly, which is what you want.
If you’re a pro on the smoker a good trick you can try is taking the pork belly strips out of the smoker when they’ve hit around 170°F and wrapping them in foil to let the strips naturally reach that 200°F internal temperature.
Otherwise, another good trick that I always do it to let my strips rest for 15 minutes after taking them out of the smoker.
Prepping the Pork Belly
To prep the pork belly you’ll need a large cutting board and a knife the cold pork belly.
For this recipe, pat the pork belly dry so you’re not working with too much moisture—you don’t want the smoker working too hard.
Trim some of the fat cap off to about 1/2 an inch. Score the fat with a very sharp knife but don’t penetrate the meat.
Cut the belly into even strips with a thickness of 2 inches so they cook evenly in the smoker.
Sprinkle a liberal amount of kosher sea salt to pork belly strips and let sit for 1 hour uncovered in the fridge to draw out that extra moisture. Then wipe off the excess salt and pat dry with a paper towel.
Then you want to add your bbq rub on both sides to dry brine overnight.
How to Brine the Pork
The best way to brine is for every gallon of water use one cup of salt. I leave mine over night, and I don’t leave it for more than 24 hours—that’s a big no no.
Make sure the strips are completely covered.
What BBQ Rub Do I Use?
I use my favorite rub that I from my local butcher, so whatever cajun spice BBQ steak rub has been your favorite lately is always a great way to go.
Pit Boss Smoked Pork Belly Strips
Equipment
- 1 Pit Boss
Ingredients
- 2.4 lb Pork belly
- 3 tbsp Kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 cup Bbq rub
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Sliced Pork Belly & Add The Dry Rub
- Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels
- Trim the fat cap to 1/2 an inch.
- Score the fat with a very sharp knife but don’t penetrate the meat.
- Cut the belly into even strips with a thickness of 2 inches.
- Apply kosher sea salt to pork belly strips and let sit for 1 hour uncovered in the fridge to draw out moisture.
- Then wipe off excess salt and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Next, add your bbq rub on both sides to dry brine overnight.
Step 2: Smoke The Pork Belly
- Load the pellets, prime, set the grill temperature to 220°F, and wait until up to temp.
- Evenly place the pork belly slices in an oven dish & place them in the smoker.
- Insert the temperature probes and monitor until 205°F this usually takes around 90 minutes.
Step 3: Sear The Pork Belly Strips
- If you plan on serving the pork belly strips immediately; crank up a skillet or griddle and sear the strips on high heat to get crispy pork crackling then serve.
- If you plan on serving them later, place when in the fridge, and just before you plan to serve then crank up a skillet or griddle and sear the strips on high heat to get crispy pork crackling then serve.
- Remember you want to sear them but turn the strip black.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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