The tantalizing scent you’ll be exposed to while this smoked pork belly cooks will make the wait a bit more difficult. Trust me, this one’s a tough one. Once you bite into that rich, succulent meat covered by a delicious crust, your patience will have been rewarded. We used a homemade dry rub and a low and slow smoking technique for the ultimate smoked pork belly recipe!
Holy pork! This is the cut that bacon comes from, so you know it provides an amazing flavor and texture. As you can see in our pork belly vs bacon guide, they are not the same.
Home-cured and smoked bacon is also delicious, but it requires a curing time of about one week.
To smoke pork belly, on the other hand, only a quick preparation is needed, and then we’re off to smoking!
📝 Why This Works
✔️Low and Slow Smoking | Pork belly is a high-fat cut and the low and slow smoking will render a lot of it, keeping the meat moist as it cooks for an incredibly tender and juicy final texture.
✔️Homemade Dry Rub | My all-purpose dry rub for grilling highlights the amazing richness of pork belly and everything is wrapped in a nice layer of smoke.
✔️Perfect Crust Formation | We spritzed the pork belly with apple juice regularly to keep it moist and help form a gorgeous crust. It provides a delightful contrast with the tender interior.
✔️Versatile and Satisfying | So many things to do with smoked pork belly! Serve it as a main dish, make some pork belly sandwiches and wraps, or use it for other recipes.
🛒 Ingredients
📌Pork Belly: This is the cut that bacon comes from, so the lip-smacking taste is no surprise. Pork belly is a rich and fatty cut, perfect for slow smoking.
📌Homemade Dry Rub: A balanced blend of sweet paprika, brown sugar, coarse ground black pepper, sea or kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and celery seed creates a beautiful taste profile.
Even better, these are easily available ingredients – you might already have them. Or use your favorite ready-made rub and call it a day!
📌Apple Juice for Spritzing: Apple juice doesn’t just help keep the meat moist during smoking. It will also add a subtle sweetness that rounds up the layered taste of the pork flavor, smoke, and the spice rub.
⏲️ Equipment and Tools
✅ Smoker | I am using the Big Green Egg, which is a charcoal grill/smoker. However, this recipe works for other types of smokers, including pellet smokers and electric smokers.
✅ Wood Chunks Or Chips | There are so many good options when it comes to smoking wood options for pork. We used cherry wood chips this time, for a light and sweet smoke flavor. Feel free to use more intense flavored woods like hickory or mesquite if you’d like.
✅ BBQ Tongs | This tool will come in handy when handling larger cuts of meat like a whole slab of pork belly without piercing it so all the delicious juices remain inside.
✅ Spray Bottle for Spritzing | You’ll need a spray bottle to spritz the pork belly as it smokes. We used apple juice but other liquids like broth, beer, or other fruit juices will work too.
✅ Knife | We’re keeping the pork belly slab whole but you’ll still need a knife to score its fat side. This will help the rub’s flavors infuse the meat better, and render more fat.
🔥 Instructions
👉 Step 1: Grab a sharp knife and score the fat side of the pork belly in a criss-cross pattern. The smoke will adhere better to the surface, and the dry rub will infuse the meat deeper.
👉 Step 2: Generously apply the dry rub on all sides. Make sure it also enters the cuts you just did. If the rub is not sticking well to the meat, you can give it a light coating of oil and continue applying the rub.
👉 Step 3: Set up the smoker to indirect heat, preheat it to 225°F, and toss in in the wood chunks or chips of choice. We used cherry this time. Place the pork belly directly on the grill grates.
👉 Step 4: Once the bark starts to form (after 1 hour or so), spritz the pork belly with apple juice every 30 minutes. You can use apple cider vinegar as a substitute.
👉 Step 5: Smoke the pork belly until it reaches an internal temperature of 203-205°F. The meat will be very tender.
👉 Step 6: Rest the pork belly for one hour tender in foil before serving so the juices have time to redistribute.
PRO TIP: We’ve cooked pork belly at 275°F to cook faster and it still turns out tender and juicy.
❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks
💡Scoring Depth | A moderate depth is enough for the dry rub to penetrate effectively. If you score into the meat layer beneath the fat, it can lead to the meat drying out during the smoking process. It can also cause uneven cooking and affect the structural integrity of the pork belly slab.
💡Room Temperature Start | Let the pork belly rest for 15-30 minutes at room temperature before smoking, for more even, and faster cooking.
💡Consistent Smoking Temperature | Keep an eye on your smoker while the pork belly is cooking. Refuel as needed to maintain a constant smoking temperature.
🔁 Additions and Substitutions
⚡ Dry Rubs
One of the best things about pork belly is it takes on different flavors very well. This means you have a world of options when it comes to seasoning. For some more tried-and-true options, try my delicious homemade dry rub for ribs or the pulled pork rub.
You can also take any dry rub recipe and change it up a little to match your taste. Skip the brown sugar for a more savory profile, add some heat with chili powder, or create a complex taste by introducing a few extra herbs or spices.
⚡ Smoking Wood Options
Pork pairs nicely with a wide array of smoking woods. We used cherry this time for the gorgeous color and sweet smokiness but there are others you can explore.
Other fruit woods such as apple and peach will also add a mild smoky flavor while hardwoods like pecan, hickory, or mesquite provide a bolder smoke profile. Reference our free smoking wood chart for more options.
⚡ Marinades
If you’d like an even juicier pork belly and more of your favorite spice flavors infused into the meat, consider marinating. This pork marinade is fantastic for all pork cuts, including pork belly.
With simple ingredients like soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, black pepper, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard, this easy marinade is perfect for smoked pork belly. Let the pork belly marinate for 2 hours and up to overnight. The longer you let it marinate, the more flavor will be infused.
⚡Glazing Options
For a sweet and sticky finish, glaze the pork belly in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Try my sweet & spicy honey sriracha sauce, or the sweet & sour cherry Bourbon BBQ sauce to elevate the taste of your smoked pork belly.
🍱 Storage
❄️ Fridge | Let the smoked pork belly cool to room temperature. Wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place them in an airtight container. It will stay safe to eat for up to 4 days, as per FoodSafety.gov’s cold food storage chart.
🧊 Freezer | You can freeze the smoked pork belly for longer storage. To prevent freezer burn, texture, and flavor changes, wrap it tightly in freezer-safe materials like heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer paper, or freezer bags. It will remain at its best for 3 months.
♨️ Reheating
⏲️ Oven | Wrap the leftover pork belly in aluminum foil and place it in an oven preheated to 250°F. Heat until it reaches the internal temperature of 165°F. This way, the pork belly will remain moist.
🔥 Grill | Reheating pork belly on the grill will give it a bit of extra smokiness. Wrap it in foil and place it on a grill over medium heat. Cook only until heated through, usually around 10-15 minutes.
Microwave | This is my least favorite method for reheating smoked and grilled meats but it sure works if you’re hungry and in a hurry! It can easily dry out the meat, so your best bet is to reheat the pork belly in 30-45-second intervals until it’s warmed through.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
⭐ Classic BBQ Sides
Enhance your smoked pork belly with some BBQ staples. Grilled Bourbon peach baked beans, grilled mac and cheese, grilled beer corn on the cob, and a light and tangy coleslaw are fantastic choices.
⭐ Potato Sides
I’m sure that everyone will be hoping some kind of potatoes will be served for that awesome smoked pork belly. Let’s not disappoint!
Try smoked baked potatoes, grilled sweet potatoes in foil, or cheesy grilled potato skins. Each of these provides a different texture and flavor that complements the pork belly beautifully.
⭐ Grilled Vegetables
Lighten up the meal with some grilled veggies. Grilled patty pan squash or zucchini, grilled broccolini, and smoked asparagus bundles are not only healthy but also add a nice charred flavor.
⭐ Salads
Fresh salads offer a crisp and refreshing contrast. I love this textured grilled peach and arugula salad, the quick and easy creamy cucumber salad, and the refreshing tomato, cucumber, and onion salad, for a fresh and tangy side that cuts through the richness of the pork.
⭐ Breads
Serve your smoked pork belly with a hearty bread. It’s nice if you have a source of fresh, high-quality artisan bread nearby, but even if you don’t you can make some at home very easy.
My no-knead Dutch oven bread or the homemade soft pretzel bites are some of the easiest-to-make yeast doughs. No experience required!
⭐ BBQ Sauces and Dips
For a well-rounded array of sides, include at least one barbecue sauce on the menu.
The smoked pumpkin Bourbon BBQ sauce has a unique rich flavor that will make every bite of smoked pork belly lip-smacking. My honey sriracha sauce and whiskey BBQ sauce also pair flawlessly with this juicy smoked pork belly recipe.
❓ Recipe FAQ
Whole Pork Belly: To end up with a crispy whole smoked pork belly, start by scoring the fat cap with a sharp knife. Make sure the dry rub or seasonings you use cover the pork belly on all sides.
Set your smoker to 275°F and let the pork belly cook for about an hour or until the bark starts to form. Then, spritz it every 30 minutes with apple juice to keep it moist while allowing the outside to crisp up.
Continue smoking the pork belly until it reaches 200-205°F, for a crispy exterior, and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth inside.
Pork Belly Cubes: You can also make crispy smoked pork belly cubes. Aim for 1 1/2″ inch cubes. They might seem too large, but they will shrink a lot during cooking.
Because of the smaller portions, a lower smoking temperature of 225°F to 250°F is ideal. They will need around 2-3 hours of smoking and make sure to get them to the same internal temperature of 200-205°F for the juiciest, most tender interior.
Burnt Ends Variation: You can use the smoked cubed pork belly to make pork belly burnt ends, similar to poor man’s burnt ends.
You’ll need to smoke the pork belly cubes to a lower internal temperature (190-195°F), place them in a disposable aluminum pan, and add a mixture of butter, brown sugar, honey, and BBQ sauce.
Then, continue smoking until the internal temp of the pork belly cubes is in the 200-205°F. During this time, the sauce will caramelize and produce wonderful sticky burnt ends!
You don’t have to wrap pork belly when smoking but this is a method you can use. Wrapping can speed up cooking, retain moisture, and soften the meat, making it more tender.
However, if you want your pork belly to be crispy on the outside, you should smoke it unwrapped.
Yes, pork belly can be overcooked. While it’s a forgiving cut due to its high-fat content, overcooking can result in the meat becoming too tender and falling apart, losing its texture. Another thing that can happen, is too much fat rendering which can dry out the pork belly.
Monitor the internal temperature of the pork belly using a meat thermometer whatever cooking method you use. As per USDA guidelines, anything over 145°F is considered safe to eat, and you can go as high as 200-205°F for a super tender finish.
Anything over 205°F can result in overcooked pork belly which can become mushy or dry, depending on how you cook it.
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Smoked Pork Belly
Equipment
- Smoker
- Spray Bottle for spritzing
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Pork Belly
- ¼ cup All Purpose Dry Rub
- 3 oz Apple Juice
Instructions
- Grab a sharp knife and score the fat side of the pork belly in a criss-cross pattern, about ¾ inch apart. The smoke will adhere better to the surface, and the dry rub will infuse the meat deeper.
- Cover the pork belly on all sides with a good all fashioned rub. If the meat feels like it needs a binder to keep the seasoning on, spritz or rub a little bit of olive oil on the pork and continue with the rub.
- Set the smoker up to 225°F and toss in wood chunks of your choice. We used cherry this time. Place the pork on the smoker using bbq tongs and cook for 6 hours or so as it will create a good bark .
- Once the bark starts to appear (about 1 hour or so..) spritz with the apple juice every 30 minutes.
- Smoke the pork belly until it reaches an internal temperature of 203-205°F. The meat will be very tender.
- Allow to rest for an hour under a tent of foil and slice.
Notes
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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