Smoked Pork Belly

For the ultimate smoked pork belly recipe, we used a homemade dry rub and a low and slow smoking technique. This recipe has you coming back for more.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 5

Servings

Calories 644kcal

Author Jason

Equipment

Smoker
Wood Chunks
BBQ Tongs
Spray Bottle for spritzing
Knife

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

Pro Tip: Try to use the center piece of the large slab of pork belly as it has the best meat to fat ratio.

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 3 Ways:

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.

Nutrition