Smoked Pork Belly – Signature Pork Recipe

One of the tastiest meats you will ever cook is a smoked pork belly. The fat to meat ratio of your pork belly is perfect for cooking long and slow. The process tenderizes the muscle, renders the fat and provides you with meat that will melt in your mouth and magnificent pork belly burnt ends. Your smoked pork belly will have a crispness similar to bacon.

Poor Man's burnt ends are one of the tastiest parts of your smoked pork belly. Smoking will ensure cooking your pork is simple, while bringing out the delectable natural flavor of your meat. If possible, purchase a pork belly with both the skin and rind already removed. The flavor of your rub and the smoke will be able to penetrate all the way through your meat for an exceptional taste experience.

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How to Smoke Pork

How to Smoke Pork with a Delicious Recipe

Your Beautiful Smoked Pork Belly

Pro Tip: You can usually purchase a pork belly with the skin and rind removed from a butcher. If you are unable to find one, you can either ask your butcher to do this for you or use a sharp filet knife to remove the skin and rind yourself.

For the perfect smoked pork belly, your fire must be built properly and well-tended to make certain you maintain the optimal temperature. The trick is to get your fire going until it reaches the temperature you desire. Once you have accomplished this, all you have to do us occasionally add more wood and adjust your dampers to regulate your airflow.

You probably already know that curing and smoking pork belly provides you with delicious and crispy bacon. When you season and smoke your pork, you will achieve a completely unique result. Your texture will be different with a delectably rich and smoky meat flavor. Once you have finished cooking your smoked pork belly, you have a lot of different options.

How to Smoke Pork

Your first step is preparing your pork belly for the smoker. Start by placing your pork belly on a work surface with the fat side up. When you score your pork all the way through the fat, your seasoning will be able to penetrate your meat much better. You need to use a sharp knife to cut through the layer of fat. Make certain you do not cut through the muscle layer.

Cut lines in your pork belly approximately three inches apart. Now turn your pork belly so it faces the opposite direction. Make the same cuts until your cuts form squares about three inches each. The secret to tantalizing flavor is seasoning your smoked pork belly well. One of the best options is using a rub. For a four to five-pound pork belly, you will need your favorite pork rub or you can use a combination of brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, coffee and garlic for a sensational new taste.

Once you have combined all of your ingredients in a small bowl, rub your seasoning mixture generously all over the fat side of your smoked pork belly. Make certain you work your rub in between all of the little cracks. Turn your pork over and rub your seasoning all over the other side. Prior to applying your rub or cooking your smoked pork belly, you need to decide if you want to brine your pork.

Brining will tenderize the meat of your smoked pork belly even more. Once you have finished with the brining process, you can use your rub for sensational meat and delicious pork belly burnt ends. For a four to five-pound pork belly, you will need:

One skinless pork belly
Two quarts water
One-half cup light brown sugar
One-half cup kosher salt
Six sprigs fresh thyme
Two tablespoons black peppercorns (whole)
One tablespoon vegetable oil

Place you water, sugar, peppercorns, salt and thyme in a stockpot. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix your ingredients. Bring everything to a boil then remove from heat. Place your brine in the refrigerator for about five hours or until chilled completely. Once chilled, put your pork belly into your stockpot. Make certain the brine completely covers your pork. Cover your pot and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Pro Tip: When you remove your pork from the brine, use a paper towel to pat off your excess brine.

You need to decide which type of wood you want to use to smoke your pork belly. Your best options include:

Pecan Wood: Pecan wood is excellent for smoking pork. The flavor is subtle, mild and ideal for enhancing the flavor of your smoked pork belly. Pecan works well with citrus wood such as cherry or orange. Pecan wood is exceptional for smoked pork belly, pork chops, ribs and poor man's burnt ends. If you do not care for the taste of stronger woods like oak or hickory, pecan wood is a good choice.

Apple Wood: Apple wood offers you a subtly mild and fruity flavor with just the right hint of sweetness. No matter which type of pork you are smoking, apple is always a good choice. The flavor is tantalizing for smoked pork belly.

Orange Wood: One of the ideal pairings is smoked pork belly and orange wood. The flavor is both mild and smoky with just a hint of citrus. For a deliciously unique flavor, try a combination of orange and hickory woods.

Sugar Maple: Sugar maple wood is sensational for smoked pork belly. You will not be able to find this type of wood as easily, but the sweet and subtle flavor is absolutely incredible. Sugar maple is one of the mildest types of wood you can use.

Peach Wood: Peach wood offers a unique hint of citrus. The wood is less acidic and more floral than the other fruit woods such as orange, cherry and apple. The flavor is light and very enjoyable for smoked pork belly. Peach wood is very popular for smoking pork throughout the south.

Before you begin smoking your pork belly, you need to make certain you have the right equipment. You will need:

How to Smoke Pork with a Delicious Recipe

To begin, you will need:

One two and one-half pound pork belly
Four tablespoons agave nectar
Four tablespoons olive oil

For the dry rub you will need:

One-half cup white sugar
One-half cup brown sugar
Four tablespoons season salt
Two teaspoons cayenne
Three tablespoons paprika
Two teaspoons ancho chile
Three tablespoons pepper
Three tablespoons salt

For the foil wrap you will need:

One cup brown sugar
One-half cup honey barbeque sauce
Eight tablespoons butter (one stick)
One-third cup tiger sauce
Three tablespoons honey

Step One: Mix your agave nectar and olive oil. Use a sharp knife to make incisions into the fat side of your pork belly. Use your mixture to coat your pork.

Step Two: Mix your dry rub then coat your entire pork belly. You need to set aside some of your rub for later.

Step Three: Let your rub soak into your pork belly for about one hour. When your smoker reaches a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit, put your smoked pork belly into your smoker.

Pro Tip: Always put your pork into your smoker with the fat side up. This will enable your pork belly to render and become tender.

Step Four: Once you have been smoking your pork belly for two hours, wrap your pork in aluminum foil to prevent the meat from burning while rendering the fat. Prior to placing your smoked pork belly on the foil, sprinkle a small bed of brown sugar along the length. Place your pork on the foil and cover with your remaining pork rub. Now drizzle your tiger sauce on the top.

Step Five: Mix your honey and honey barbecue sauce together then drizzle on top of your meat. Now put your butter on the very top. Turn over your meat and repeat the same process on the other side.

Step Six: Wrap you smoked pork belly in the aluminum foil and put it in your smoker for two to three hours.

Step Seven: Use your meat thermometer to determine when your smoked pork belly reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove your pork from your smoker, place on a platter, cover lightly with aluminum foil and let it rest and cool for a few minutes.

Step Eight: Now you need to decide how to serve your delicious smoked pork belly. You can shred your pork for amazing sandwiches, cube your pork and insert toothpicks or slice your pork into moist and tender servings. If you have any sliced pork left to enjoy the next day, simply place it on your grill for a couple of minutes for a second taste of heaven.