Pork Belly Help

[modernmanbbq]

Has anyone had success making pork belly? I didn't cure it to make bacon. I just seasoned it, injected it and threw it on my WSM. I wasn't sure what to expect since I couldn't find a lot of information online about it. I was expecting a bacon flavor but ended up with more of a pulled pork flavor. If anyone has any experience with this please share!!!

 

[daveomak]

Using cure is what give belly the bacon flavor....  below is my method....    You probably don't have the commercial cure I use but it is available....   http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=237_12&products_id=59   ..  use at 2% rate based on the weight of the belly...  The 1# package will make 50 #'s of bacon.... 

Or you can make your own, similar to the above using brown sugar...   For 10#'s of belly....4540 grams....   11 grams cure #1....  68 grams brown sugar..   90 grams of kosher salt.... (mix very well)  That totals 170 grams of mix...   use 17 grams per pound of belly... rub it in good and refer for 2 weeks... follow the rest of the method....   You will need a grams scale... 0-100 grams for accurate weighing..   about $15.....    Similar to this one...     
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...t-dry-brined-bacon-aug-2015-8-23-money-update

Any questions ??  many members are skilled in making awesome bacon...  there are many methods.... 

 

[chef jimmyj]

Bellies need to be cured to have a bacon flavor. Without it a smoked belly is just really fatty smoked pork and will taste like a smoke butt. Dave's method is very good and a great option. Probably the easiest way to get into cured bacon is to Brine Cure. Pops Brine is reliable and gives a consistently good result...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124885/bacon-made-the-easy-way

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/257392/first-bacon-pops-brine-method-finally-done-great-stuff

 

[akdutchguy]

I've thrown uncured bellies on the grill and made a really fatty pork steak. It was good. I split the belly in two slabs to thin it down to 1". It's been a while since I did it because I love bacon too much. Can't remember what season I used. Probably spog.
Jason

 

[modernmanbbq]

Ok this all makes a lot of sense. Like I said it didn't taste bad but next time I'm going to cure it and see what happens. So I follow the curing method and then what? Do I throw it on the smoker as is? Then what temperature do I cook it to?

 

[chef jimmyj]

In general after the brine cure you want to dry the surface to form a pellicle, a tacky skin for smoke to stick to. This can be uncovered on a rack in the refer for 24-48 hours or in front of a fan for an hour or two. Next you have a decision to make, cold smoke, <120°F for 10 to 72 hours to desired color and smoke intensity, like store bacon. Or warm smoke, 160 to 200°F until the internal temp is 145-155, which can be cooked further or is actually ready to eat as is. Now most folks rest overnight to chill well, slice, cook and eat or freeze for future use...There are tons of threads with procedure, flavor variations like Black Pepper, Maple, Cajun Spicy and more. Search Bacon to get an idea of what others have tried...JJ

 

[tallbm]

 
Has anyone had success making pork belly? I didn't cure it to make bacon. I just seasoned it, injected it and threw it on my WSM. I wasn't sure what to expect since I couldn't find a lot of information online about it. I was expecting a bacon flavor but ended up with more of a pulled pork flavor. If anyone has any experience with this please share!!!

Hi there and welcome!

I have not done what you have done but knowing where the belly comes from on the pig I would expect it to be a lot like boneless and super fatty spare ribs.  Take a look at the meaty side of the spare ribs and then the meaty side of the pork belly and see how they look so similar. 

pig-diagram1.jpg

• tallbm
• Mar 6, 2017

If I were doing what you were doing I would have pulled the skin, stripped down the fat and then cooked like spare ribs.  Hmmmmm wow that sounds awesome!  Boneless spare ribs hahahaha.  Adding it to the list of cool things to smoke! :)

 

[chef jimmyj]

Hi there and welcome!

I have not done what you have done but knowing where the belly comes from on the pig I would expect it to be a lot like boneless and super fatty spare ribs.  Take a look at the meaty side of the spare ribs and then the meaty side of the pork belly and see how they look so similar. 

pig-diagram1.jpg

• tallbm
• Mar 6, 2017

If I were doing what you were doing I would have pulled the skin, stripped down the fat and then cooked like spare ribs.  Hmmmmm wow that sounds awesome!  Boneless spare ribs hahahaha.  Adding it to the list of cool things to smoke! :)

:devil:


If boneless ribs are your goal...Find a butcher that breaks down whole hogs. Ask them to cut the side, belly and ribs intact. Next have them remove the rib bones, individually. All the rib meat and belly meat with the fat layer is a couple inches thick and a meaty hunk of pig...JJ

 

[tallbm]

If boneless ribs are your goal...Find a butcher that breaks down whole hogs. Ask them to cut the side, belly and ribs intact. Next have them remove the rib bones, individually. All the rib meat and belly meat with the fat layer is a couple inches thick and a meaty hunk of pig...JJ

That would be awesome!

There is only one dedicated butcher shop I know of but I have a feeling they don't break down whole hogs for their product.  If I bought a whole hog or a half a hog I'm sure they would do what you mention but I'm not so excited about the idea that I would buy that much pork for the one cut hahaha

I'll keep an eye out for such a butcher because that boneless cut sounds amazing!  Thanks for the insight.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I am sure you would have no issue using half a hog. You would have a butt, picnic, baby back ribs, chops or a couple of loin roasts, 2 nice Ham portions and a couple pounds of ground trim for sausage. That is MAYBE 2 months pork for a family of 4...One month in my house!!!...JJ

 

[tallbm]

I am sure you would have no issue using half a hog. You would have a butt, picnic, baby back ribs, chops or a couple of loin roasts, 2 nice Ham portions and a couple pounds of ground trim for sausage. That is MAYBE 2 months pork for a family of 4...One month in my house!!!...JJ

Oh I'm right there with you on having no issue using half a hog.  I simply have no room in the freezer and no room for another freezer :(  

Here is my outdoor freezer after I hunt each year:

View media item 507908
It will take me all year to go through my haul and then when it is empty it is basically hunting time again and I fill it back up in the month of Oct or Nov.  Really full freezer with wild game I process myself is not a bad problem to have.  I'll just have to live without my much wanted half a pig 

 

[chef jimmyj]

No problem...Get the half pig in August! The bulk of the venison will be gone then in October the pork and remaining game will be eaten...JJ

 

[tallbm]

No problem...Get the half pig in August! The bulk of the venison will be gone then in October the pork and remaining game will be eaten...JJ

Let's hope one of the pigs my cousin's kids raise in FFA twist an ankle in August :P

 

[eman]

Try Braising a slab of pork belly. I use water seasoned with a little crab boil and 1 dark beer. (leaves 5 beers for the cook),

 As for your freezer problem you will need to use the solution i used. Buy another freezer . i have 3 now.

 

[tallbm]

 
Try Braising a slab of pork belly. I use water seasoned with a little crab boil and 1 dark beer. (leaves 5 beers for the cook),

 As for your freezer problem you will need to use the solution i used. Buy another freezer . i have 3 now.

Sounds delicious!

If I buy another freezer I will simply become a meat hoarder hahahaha. I couldn't possibly eat all of it in a year if I got another freezer.... I'll think about it :P