Smoked Pork Belly Recipe
Make Smoked Pork Belly Recipe in just 24h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Ingredients
Method
Directions
- 1
Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels and trim any loose skin or excess fat into an even rectangle.
- 2
In a bowl, combine kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin to create the dry cure rub.
- 3
Massage the rub over the pork belly, covering all sides and into any folds. If the skin is left on, avoid rubbing the skin directly to encourage crisping later.
- 4
Place the seasoned pork belly in a tray or zip-top bag, seal, and refrigerate for 24-48 hours to cure and flavor the meat.
- 5
Remove the pork belly from the fridge, unwrap, rinse lightly if desired, and pat dry. Let it come to room temperature for about 60 minutes.
- 6
Preheat your smoker to 225-250 F (107-121 C). Prepare smoking wood such as apple for flavor.
- 7
Place the belly on the smoker, fat side up. Smoke for 3-4 hours, spritzing with apple juice every hour to maintain moisture and build bark.
- 8
After the initial smoke, wrap the pork belly in heavy foil with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of apple juice to help tenderize, and return to the smoker.
- 9
Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 195-205 F (90-96 C) and the bark is set.
- 10
Prepare a glaze by combining maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of water. During the last 15-20 minutes of smoking, brush the glaze onto the pork belly for a glossy finish.
- 11
Remove from the smoker, rest for 15-20 minutes, then slice into thick slabs and serve.
