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Smoked Pork Belly is easy, delicious and a cheap way to feed a crowd. While we have been known for our pork belly burnt ends for years, smoking a pork belly like a brisket is a delicious method that can be taken in many different flavor profile directions. You can slice it like brisket and serve as is or build amazing tacos. In this recipe and video we glaze the smoked pork belly with a delicious Japanese BBQ sauce and ultimately create some very tasty tacos.
Video for this recipe:Â https://youtu.be/ouOIr-_f-gQ
Ingredients
- 1 skinless pork belly
- Meat Church The Gospel
- Bachan's Japanese BBQ Sauce (sub your fav BBQ sauce)
Smoker prep
Prepare your smoker at a temp of 250 degrees. We use Traeger x Louisville Slugger maple pellets in this video, but hickory, pecan or cherry would also be good choices.
Prep
Cut the belly into 4 sections if you started with a full belly. Trim them as evenly as possible removing any ridges that are too tall or too thin as seen in this video. This will allow you to cook the protein evenly.
Score the fat side in a diagonal pattern. This will give you more surface area for seasoning and also keep the pork belly from cinching up during the cook as the fat contracts.
Season liberally with The Gospel All Purpose rub.
Allow the seasoning to adhere for 15 minutes or up to overnight.Â
Cook the pork belly
Place the pork belly in the smoker.
Spritz with cider vinegar any time the pork belly looks dry. Â
Smoke the pork belly until it reached 195 internal temperature. In this video that took 5 hours. At that point begin apply the bbq sauce.
Continue cooking the pork belly until it is probe tender which will typically be just over 200.Â
Remove the pork belly from the smoker.
Allow to cool significantly. That will help you slice through the delicate fat. We recommend a serrated or very sharp knife.
In this video we served the pork belly on fresh flour tortillas with pickled red onions, cotija cheese and cilantro.Â
Enjoy!