Advice needed for pork belly

[wahoowad]

I’ve only had pork belly from one place but I love it. It comes sliced about 1/4” thick with a nice texture on both sides as if it was lightly fried after being smoked. That is just a guess, but since it has that texture on both sides of the wide part of the slice I’m assuming it was run past a frying pan or griddle?

I’m smoking my first pork belly in my pellet smoker right now. Got it at Costco and I put half of it in the freezer for next time while the other piece is about 12x12”. I put my favorite pork rub on it and not sure what i’m Going to have when it is done texture wise. After 2.5 hours it was around 175 so I wrapped it in foil, plan is to remove around 195 and finish it unwrapped until probe tender.

Part of me wondered if I should have left it unwrapped to further assist in rendering down the fat. My goal is to eat it sliced and I don’t actually like a lot of raw fat texture. The local restaurant somehow has that fat where it has firmed up and isn’t just a blob of fat.

 

[okiefisher]

I’ve only had pork belly from one place but I love it. It comes sliced about 1/4” thick with a nice texture on both sides as if it was lightly fried after being smoked. That is just a guess, but since it has that texture on both sides of the wide part of the slice I’m assuming it was run past a frying pan or griddle?

I’m smoking my first pork belly in my pellet smoker right now. Got it at Costco and I put half of it in the freezer for next time while the other piece is about 12x12”. I put my favorite pork rub on it and not sure what i’m Going to have when it is done texture wise. After 2.5 hours it was around 175 so I wrapped it in foil, plan is to remove around 195 and finish it unwrapped until probe tender.

Part of me wondered if I should have left it unwrapped to further assist in rendering down the fat. My goal is to eat it sliced and I don’t actually like a lot of raw fat texture. The local restaurant somehow has that fat where it has firmed up and isn’t just a blob of fat.

I would make pork belly burnt ends if you're not through cooking it yet. They're yummy for your tummy!

 

[SmokinAl]

Burnt ends would be my choice. Just smoke the belly to about 170-175, take it out and cube it up, then coat it with honey, BBQ sauce, & we like some Franks hot sauce along with some butter, & brown sugar. Toss it together in pan & put it back on the smoker for another hour or so still in the pan, let it cook until the fat is rendered & the outside is crispy. You really can't over cook these , because they have so much fat in them. Good luck keep us posted!
Al

 

[wahoowad]

After only 3.5 hours total, it was up to 210 in the foil. I removed from foil and put back on the pit where the meat temp came back down to 195. Being in that foil with all steam really heated it up. I’m going to let it smoke longer and start probing it around 200.

Next time I might go with making the burnt ends. I’m thinking that might help render out more fat. I’m worried it’s going to have a lot of globby fat. Guess we shall see.

 

[gmc2003]

Well don't keep us waiting, how'd it turn out?

Chris

 

[wahoowad]

The pork belly came out good! I lightly pan fried a few 1/8" slices like bacon to try and help the texture and that seemed to help. Next time I might just do burnt ends. Should I cube them before smoking, during smoking, or after?

 

[TomKnollRFV]

The pork belly came out good! I lightly pan fried a few 1/8" slices like bacon to try and help the texture and that seemed to help. Next time I might just do burnt ends. Should I cube them before smoking, during smoking, or after?

Some people cube before, some during. I personally would say if you got a grate they won't fall through, cube in advance. Burnt ends have to be cubed either before or during to get that lovely bark.

 

[petehalsted]

I am a BIG (both in enthusiasm and girth) of Pork Belly Burnt ends. Done "right" you are never going to completely eliminate the fat hunks in pork belly, but they are rendered to the point that when you put them in your mouth they just melt and give you an intense smoky pork flavor, there is not "chewy fat" like on the edge of a ribeye.

But back to your original post, it sounds like what you were describing, is Pig Candy (Candied Bacon). Not sure if you can achieve that texture of fat without curing first, maybe someone else can contribute that answer.