Pork belly skin side

[Brian C.]

How do they say on radio talk shows? First time (post), long time (smoker).

The butcher talked me into taking the skin with the pork belly, which has been brined for a week and is air drying for the pellicle.
Now, do you smoke with the skin side up or down? Do you cross hatch it? Or should I remove it before smoking?
I’m makin’ bacon.
Thanks
Brian in Bronte

 

[SmokinAl]

Personally I would take the skin off before smoking it. Actually I would have taken it off before curing it. Unless you are going to eat the skin, why smoke it. I have a great video on skinning a belly, if I can find it I will add it to this post.



I also moved this to the bacon section.
Al

 

[Brian C.]

Thank you.
Next time, I will ask the butcher to remove it.

 

[Bearcarver]

I have the butcher remove it, because he's better at it than I am.

I only cure & Smoke what I'm going to eat. Anything else gets removed before curing.
I figure---Why cure & smoke it, if I'm not going to eat it?

Bear

 

[JckDanls 07]

Shoooooo Al.. I've never encountered skin coming off that easy... That knife must be more than razor sharp ...

 

[bill ace 350]

I leave the skin on.

 

[mneeley490]

I use a sharp roast slicing knife similar to this one when I want to remove the skin. Just tilt it upward toward the skin as you cut, and you won't take off much fat. Goes much faster than a filet knife.

 

[daspyknows]

I took the skin off on my first try. Was a bit messy/ I need to watch the video.