dj54 asked me about step by step how to roast a belly and smoke one so I thought I would post it here.
#1 Start with the best quality pork belly you can get try to find a local preferably heritage breed. If you are having a hard time contact Niman Ranch(
http://www.nimanranch.com/Index.aspx) they have great meat. Having great meat will make a lot of difference in the final product.
#2 Next take your favorite spice rub, cure, or a simple salt n sugar mixture(I like to use chili cure see above) season the belly on all sides then place in fridge covered overnight or for up to a week. Before cooking rinse off cure pat dry and place on some sort of rack prefferably plastic you can get them at restaurant supply shops they are called drain pans(
http://www.wasserstrom.com/restaurant-supplies-equipment/Product_104938) leave uncoverd for around 3-4 hours.
Ok oven roasting: preheat oven to 500 degrees place pb in a pan large enough to hold it with room to spare for rendered fat. Place in oven for one hour if using a whole belly, smaller peices may need less time. After one hour drop oven temp to 200 degrees cook for 2-4 hours or untill meat pulls away easily but not falling apart. Remove from oven let cool on counter for a hour or so the place in fridge overnight
do not cover untill fully cooled! It is important to let belly cool in its own fat.
#4The next day remove from cold fat cut into thick slices thick as you like I prefer one inch. Grill or pan fry untill crispy enjoy.
Once you have built up enough fat from two or three roasts you can confit a belly follow steps 1 and 2. Preheat oven to 300 dgrees. Melt saved up pork fat use it to cover belly in pan large enough to hold it all. Place in oven cook 3-4 hours or untill done once again when the meat is giving but not falling apart. Allow to cool in fat overnight. Belly should be fully covered in fat if this is the case as long as you leave it covered it will last a
very long time in a fridge. This is a old preservation trick mostly used for duck or goose but works for many things(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_confit). When you are ready to eat just follow step 4.
As for smoking this is very simple follow steps 1 and 2. Preheat smoker to 225 degrees place belly in smoker smoke for 3-5 hours or untill done once again giving but not falling apart. When they are done pull and let cool on counter for a hour or so then tightly wrap in plastic and put in fridge the next day follow step 4. Cut the belly a little thinner(1/2") and use to top burgers or use in blts to blow your mind.
Even after all this sometimes the are parts of the belly that are too fatty for even me I usually chop these into small peices and render in a pan for delicious fat to cook things in try with fresh scallops or shrimp! I also like to spike BBQ sauce with this fat especially the smoked fat.
Enjoy!
Looks good ;) gotta run time for work.
