Pork belly straight up

Powak

A buddy at work’s making a soup and wants me to cook some pork belly for him. I’ve only ever done burnt ends with pork belly. Don’t have time to make bacon but would like to do a regular cook, smoke of a 3lb slab. How do you guys do it? Cook indirect at 225° until 165° Internal? Smoke?

lkapigian

Are you wanting to do them as burnt ends, just not bacon burnt ends? If so ( same as bacon burnt ends)  , cube , indirect till tender 195 ish , then pan and sauce back on to set.....

I Sous Vide mine 10 hours minimum 160, then cube ,pan sauce and on the smoker for an hours or two 

If just Belly, you can do the same whole till tender if just wanting to slice

flyer_egger

I just smoked some Pork belly straight with meat church  Honey Hog rub and it maybe the best thing I've ever cooked on the BGE.  Cooked until it probed like butter. 

6baluts

@flyer_egger
Wow you got my attention.

Powak

flyer_egger said:

I just smoked some Pork belly straight with meat church  Honey Hog rub and it maybe the best thing I've ever cooked on the BGE.  Cooked until it probed like butter. 

This is what I’m talkin about! What temps for the cook and finish?

flyer_egger

250 and honestly cant tell you internal.  I relied on the feel of the meatest portion to tell me when it was done.  It took about the same amount of time as the chicken that cooked along with it, took to get to 165 internal.

Langner91

Since it is basically rib meat, Home-made McRibs FTW!  

I like to fry it the day after smoking it to render a little more fat out of it.

 I take it to 190 and start probing.  Don't be fooled by the fat, it will probe easily and the meat will be chewy.  Feel the probe in the meat.

Enjoy it!

Thatgrimguy

flyer_egger said:

I just smoked some Pork belly straight with meat church  Honey Hog rub and it maybe the best thing I've ever cooked on the BGE.  Cooked until it probed like butter. 

That looks incredible!!!!

lkapigian

Thatgrimguy said:

flyer_egger said:

I just smoked some Pork belly straight with meat church  Honey Hog rub and it maybe the best thing I've ever cooked on the BGE.  Cooked until it probed like butter. 

That looks incredible!!!!

Yup, just pulled a belly out of the freezer to add to sundays break in cook on the fat stacks 

flyer_egger

Just FYI.....I sliced it in 1/4 thick slices, so two slices per serving can be added to PHO or ramen. A little goes a long way.

The smoke really comes alive when warm.  

lousubcap

Here’s a variation from a recipe I got from CPFC late this summer.   I have cooked it around 5-6 times and will be going again this weekend. 
1) 24-36 hours pre-cook. Score skin, apply heavy layer of fine (table) salt - leave uncovered in the fridge. 
2) Several hours later, mop moisture off the top of the skin and re-salt.
3) Repeat once or twice more until skin looks and feels dry.   This builds in a strong salty flavour to the skin, too.  Just prior to starting the cook, inject with a 50/50 apple juice and apple cider mixture. 
4) Fire up the Egg, add plate setter, air gapped drip pan and get it around to 450 dome temp, keep it around there with the belly on for around 45-50 mins. Skin side up. Very hot start and very dry skin is, by all accounts, the route to crackling.  
5) Close the vents and let it roll for another 20 / 25 mins.  You'll sail through the min IT (165*F)  but the moisture remains.  Take it to around 175-180*F.  The fat will render to give a bit of natural smoke off the plate setter.  
6) Slice it in whatever form you want/need. The brackish taste encourages a steady flow of adult beverage too. FWIW-

Powak

lousubcap said:

Here’s a variation from a recipe I got from CPFC late this summer.   I have cooked it around 5-6 times and will be going again this weekend. 
1) 24-36 hours pre-cook. Score skin, apply heavy layer of fine (table) salt - leave uncovered in the fridge. 
2) Several hours later, mop moisture off the top of the skin and re-salt.
3) Repeat once or twice more until skin looks and feels dry.   This builds in a strong salty flavour to the skin, too.  Just prior to starting the cook, inject with a 50/50 apple juice and apple cider mixture. 
4) Fire up the Egg, add plate setter, air gapped drip pan and get it around to 450 dome temp, keep it around there with the belly on for around 45-50 mins. Skin side up. Very hot start and very dry skin is, by all accounts, the route to crackling.  
5) Close the vents and let it roll for another 20 / 25 mins.  You'll sail through the min IT (165*F)  but the moisture remains.  Take it to around 175-180*F.  The fat will render to give a bit of natural smoke off the plate setter.  
6) Slice it in whatever form you want/need. The brackish taste encourages a steady flow of adult beverage too. FWIW-

WOW! This sounds intense. Any pics of the finished product?

caliking

I was lucky enough to sample a pork-belly-smoked-like-a-brisket taco courtesy of @tarheelmatt. It was goddaam delicious. Possibly similar to @flyer_egger 's method. 

lousubcap

Here is a CPFC pic as I routinely delete mine after the posting:


I now cook pork belly with this method every time unless going down the burnt ends road which is a menu option unto itself.  FWIW-