Author Topic: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1  (Read 5441 times)

FunkedOut

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Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« on: July 24, 2015, 01:18:01 PM »
Usually, I only eat belly when cooking a whole hog, but it's my favorite part of the beast, so once or twice, I've spoiled myself.
I've always cooked whole hog in a pit or caja china (lacajachina.com), and bellies always in the oven.  Bottom line, always high heat.  This will be my first slow and low belly.

Got 3 pounds worth of pork belly from the local meat market, just to try it on the smoker.  This was a skin-on belly.  I love crisping up the skin to eat cracklings or chicharrones or pork rinds or whatever you want to call them, but again, that's a high heat deal. 

So I decided to skin this belly, cut the skin into strips for deep frying right before serving the belly.  A little salt, black pepper and smoked habanero pepper powder and into a bag they go until dinner time.

Now to focus on the belly...
I used 3 tablespoons of tender quick and rubbed it in real good, wrapped in plastic tightly and put back in the fridge for 1 hour.
Washed it off real good and put in a brine of guava nectar and salt.   The nectar has more than enough sugar, and I subtracted the 3 tablespoons of tender quick I had used earlier from the total amount of salt I normally use in a brine (1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of sugar).  I let this sit 12 hours in a plastic bag.

Pulled he belly out, pat it dry, no rinse, and coated it with black pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, oregano and a bit of paprika with a real light dust of cayenne.  Immediately into the smoker loaded with pecan chips and cherry chunks.

Here's the plan:
Cold belly, cold smoker
225F until IT of 140F
200F until IT of 160F
Pull the belly out to rest a bit while I:
Glaze with a gauva BBQ sauce/glaze that I haven't invented yet
Get the smoker up to 300F
Put the belly back in for 30min or so.

Serve topped with fresh fried rinds along side rice and black beans.
I'll get some pics up later.

« Last Edit: July 24, 2015, 02:52:30 PM by FunkedOut »
Joe, in FL
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SuperDave

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2015, 01:42:09 PM »
Can you tell me, if I have my butcher give me un-sliced bacon, is that the same as your pork belly?
Model 4, Harrisville, Utah

FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2015, 02:49:06 PM »
Almost the same.  Bacon will be cured and usually cold smoked.  Pork belly is fresh.  Same difference between a fresh ham and ham.
Joe, in FL
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FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2015, 06:08:41 PM »
5 hours into the smoke, IT hit 160F.
Pulled it out, set the smoker to 350F and brought the belly inside for a glaze.

Guava BBQ glaze consists of guava paste (very sweet), garlic, salt pepper, butter, a splash of guava nectar and my favorite BBQ sauce.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
Brush it on the belly top and sides.
There's a little left over to brush on once plated.

Once the smoker gets up to temp, it's going back in for 30min to dehydrate and caramelize the glaze.
Joe, in FL
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Pork Belly

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2015, 06:50:54 PM »
What is your plan, will you slice and brown this like bacon or eat it with a knife and fork like steak?
Brian - Michigan-NRA Life Member
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DivotMaker

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2015, 07:06:19 PM »
I've never seen anyone do belly like this.  I'll also be interested in the results!
Tony from NW Arkansas
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FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2015, 07:42:22 PM »
While the belly was in the 350F heat, I deep fried the skin strips.
Enjoy a few glamour shots of the belly and plateing. 
We certainly enjoyed it.  Real good. 
Not bad for my first rodeo.  I will repeat this, but I'm thinking a higher IT would be better.  Next time, I'll shoot for 180F.
This is hard work.  ;D

it's hard to tell from the pic, but that's a few 0.5" slices on the plate.  knife and fork tonight.  add some griddle crunch tomorrow for lunch with the left overs.  really crispy bits on slider buns are great!
« Last Edit: July 24, 2015, 08:07:19 PM by FunkedOut »
Joe, in FL
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FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2015, 08:14:17 PM »
What is your plan, will you slice and brown this like bacon or eat it with a knife and fork like steak?

love your handle
Joe, in FL
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gregbooras

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2015, 11:11:46 AM »
Looks really good, a bit to much fat for my tastes, but that's just me :)

Greg

FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2015, 11:40:49 AM »
The fat is where it's at!

Most people I know are that way.  In one of the pics, you can see where I trimmed the fat on some slices for the Mrs and kids.  There were more trimmed pieces, but I snacked on them.   8)
Joe, in FL
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gregbooras

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2015, 11:53:09 AM »
The fat is where it's at!

Most people I know are that way.  In one of the pics, you can see where I trimmed the fat on some slices for the Mrs and kids.  There were more trimmed pieces, but I snacked on them.   8)

I get it, lot's of flavor and such. But even as a kid, I didn't like the fat on a steak.....

As I said just me, I also don't really care for burnt ends.

Greg

hardpan

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2015, 05:06:53 PM »
Wow, that looks amazing!  Ever made bacon?
Hardpan
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FunkedOut

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2015, 05:04:31 AM »
Thanks.  Never tried to make cured bacon.  Got any good recipes or process tips?
Joe, in FL
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DivotMaker

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Re: Smoked Pork Belly - Take 1
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2015, 12:51:32 PM »
Thanks.  Never tried to make cured bacon.  Got any good recipes or process tips?

Check out the Charcuterie section - lots of good bacon recipes there.
Tony from NW Arkansas
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