Smoked pork belly has been a staple in my family ever since I can remember. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the crunch of a perfectly cooked pork crackling.
This is one of my favorite smoked pork belly recipes, it’s my favorite for two reasons;
Firstly, this recipe is super simple. I like to make it a couple of days in advance and grill the pork belly on a Sunday afternoon. There is no better way to finish off the weekend than with a nice thick, crispy and juicy piece of pork.
I like to use a pellet smoker, charcoal smoker or gas smoker. They all let me automate the process so I can sit back and relax with the family!. I have put together the best pellet smoker and best gas smokers, so can choose whats best for you!
The second reason why I love this recipe so much is the taste. This pork belly is seriously good. Its sweet, spicy, smoky and most importantly it’s crispy.
I like to serve this pork belly with a side of jalapeño creamed corn and classic crispy baked potatoes. See some of my other favorite sides for pork belly!
Charlies Hot Tips
We all know by know that pork belly needs some really high temperatures to get that tasty crispy crackling! Not only that it needs to this temp for a prolonged period. The last thing you want is chewy pork belly!
Make sure you also have one of the best thermometers for smoking, the last thing you want is to burn that precious pork belly!
After all this effort you don’t want to hack away at your masterpiece, find out what the best knifes for cutting meat are!
| Cuts of Pork | Temperature | Rest Time | Rest Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutlets | Cook until tender (at least 145u00b0F) | 3 minutes | 10 Minutes |
| Ground Pork | 160 F | Serve right away | 10 Minutes |
| Ham (Precooked) | 140 F | Serve right away | 10 Minutes |
| Pork Chop | 145 F (rare) – 160 F(well done) | 3 minutes | 10 Minutes |
| Pork Loin | 145 F (rare) – 160 F (well done) | 3 minutes | 10 Minutes |
| Pork Shoulder | Cook until tender (at least 145 F) | 3 minutes | 10 Minutes |
Charlies Hot Tip
If you are catering for a health conscious crowd, you might want to try a different cut of pork as well. I find that smoking pork loin will yield a much less fat.
Now some people are borderline addicted to the crackling (aka, the fat) and some want to enjoy pork without it. So much sure you cater to everyone!
How to Smoke Pork Belly 101
Twice Cooked Smoked Pork Belly Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3 to 3-1/2- pound section of pork belly
- Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 Tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F as per your manufacturer’s instructions. I like to use a mix of cherry and hickory wood.
- With a sharp knife remove the top layer of fat on the pork belly. Score the fat in 1 inch squares. You don’t want to cut all the way through the pork belly, only go around a ¼ inch deep.
- In a medium sized bowl mix together cayenne, chilli powder, cumin, garlic, mustard powder, paprika, sugar and salt & pepper.
- Dab any excess moisture off the pork belly with a paper towel and rub the dry rub over the top, bottom and sides of the pork belly. Don’t be scared to get in there with your hands and make sure everything is covered.
- Once the smoker is up to temperature smoke the pork belly fat side up until bronzed with smoke. You are looking for an internal temperature of 165°F. This should be around 2 – 3 hours, however, I would advise checking after 2.5 and adjust accordingly.
- Heat your oven to 400–450 F. Place the meat rind-side up onto a rack over a shallow baking dish. Brush well with oil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until small bubbles form on surface and rind is golden and crisp.
- Once the pork has come to temperature you can serve it hot straight out of the smoker. Although I recommend serving the pork belly after it has been chilled and reheated. You get a much better flavour and texture with this method.
- If you are going with the reheat method transfer the pork to a wire rack, cover and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
- When you are ready to reheat the pork belly, cut the pork belly into ½ inch thick slices (always remember to cut against the grain). Then lightly season with salt and pepper to taste. I also like to add in a little bit more cayenne at this point.
- Set your grill up for direct grilling and preheat to a medium – high heat. For the best result cook over wood or at the very least add in wood chunks to your charcoal.
- Once you have a nice hot grill, arrange your pork belly strips along your grill and grill until both sides are sizzling and well browned. This should take around 2 minutes per side.
- Using scissors cut crispy pork skin to the same size as your pork belly strips. Serve on top of meat and enjoy!
Charlies Hot Tips
Do you find the pork hard to cut evenly? If I am trying to get it perfect I will use a meat slicer. There is nothing like uniform cut deeeeelicious pork belly!
Final Thoughts
There you have it my simple, delicious and surprisingly easy smoked pork belly.
I highly recommend using the twice cooked method for this recipe to really get the most flavor. It’s well worth waiting that extra little bit of time for. I guarantee it!
What is your favorite smoked pork belly recipe? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Happy smoking everybody,
Charlie
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Hi Charlie, thanks for this recipe, it looks delicious, I’ll definitely try it out on my gateway drum smoker. Just one question, it mentions crispy skin in the introduction but in the recipe it says to remove the skin. Is there something missing in the recipe? Do you discard the skin?
Thanks! Marcio
Thanks for letting me know Marcio, I have definitely left out one of the most important steps (and most delicious!!!!!) Let me know how you go with it
Hola! I’ve been following your weblog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the great work!