Pork belly

[BOBOT]

Just bought a hunk without a definite plan for using it. I suppose I could just smoke it & cut into bacon strips, but how do you like to use it (if you do).

 

[braumeister]

One of the most fun things to do with a pork belly is to make burnt ends with it. Meat candy. Utterly irresistible.

You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

 

[Walt34]

You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Wow, I could hear my arteries hardening just looking at the pictures. Looks terrific!

 

[Fedup]

I never buy pork belly until now, maybe I will in the future. I did see Costco have some kind of pork belly, but it was a huge amount.

 

[REWahoo]

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Meat porn...

 

[MichaelB]

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Meat porn...

Except we all know porn isn't real, but those burnt ends sure are.

 

[braumeister]

FWIW, I'm required to make those about every few months. I'd do it anyway, but DW goes nuts over them. It's really pretty easy and they don't last long.

 

[Red Badger]

Get some Cochujong from an Asian supermarket (some grocery stores now carry "Korean ketchup"). Grill or pan fry the pork belly (cut into bite size pieces) with lots of garlic toes and onions. Can cook together, but I prefer separately. Put the meat, garlic, and onions on a red lettuce leaf after dipping in sesame oil. Dab on some cochujong, wrap into a ball and pop into the mouth. Sticky rice is traditionally served too.

Put the Sesame oil in a dipping dish and add a dash of salt/pepper.

 

[davemartin88]

One of the most fun things to do with a pork belly is to make burnt ends with it. Meat candy. Utterly irresistible.

You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Going to have to give these a try!

 

[OldShooter]

... I suppose I could just smoke it & cut into bacon strips, but how do you like to use it (if you do).

Actually you don't just smoke to make bacon. Bacon, ham, etc. are cured meats. The cure changes the taste and texture of the pork and, not incidentally, protects from botulism.

Lots of resources around the web. Posts by IAmMadMan as in this thread: Please share your bacon cure recipe with me - The BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS are especially good.

One simple starter option is to cure with a "kit": https://www.lemproducts.com/category/bacon-ham-seasoning. Then smoke.

It's actually quite easy, though a little time-consuming as the cure takes a week of refrigerator time. I usually smoke between 5 and 10 hours. I encourage you to try it.

Re pork belly burnt ends: Too fatty for me. YMMV however.

 

[Fedup]

Fat is good as long as you eat with some vegs.

 

[Bruceski44]

I bought the belly at Costco, brined it for 2 days, seasoned it with a spicy/sweet dry rub, then smoked it in my offset smoker with hickory smoke for 15 hours. Then candied it with brown sugar in a pan on the gril before serving. The long cook rendered most of the fat away. Nothing better than a pork belly sandwich, covered in cole slaw, drpping with Blues Hog sauce! YOLO!

 

[MuirWannabe]

One of the most fun things to do with a pork belly is to make burnt ends with it. Meat candy. Utterly irresistible.



You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:



Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Thanks braumeister! I’ll be trying this out. Looks amazing. Almost dangerous.

 

[pacergal]

One of the most fun things to do with a pork belly is to make burnt ends with it. Meat candy. Utterly irresistible.

You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

Thanks for this recipe!
We have usually done a simple smoke, then used the pork belly in a black eye bean soup. The burnt ends sound much better!

 

[Fedup]

I thing the burnt end would be good with something pickled, a bit of sweet and sour.

 

[BOBOT]

Okay, burnt ends it is! The belly has been seasoned (with my secret rub) and will go on the smoker tomorrow.

I have a small piece so even if it doesn't turn out great it won't be a big deal.
But how bad could it be??


Thanks for the input; I look forward to trying some other ideas.

 

[MuirWannabe]

One of the most fun things to do with a pork belly is to make burnt ends with it. Meat candy. Utterly irresistible.



You can find a number of good techniques, but they're mostly variations on this classic:



Pork Belly Burnt Ends - Smoked Pork Belly Recipe

I tried the burnt ends recipe today. They were very good. But I think next time I need to somehow trim more of the excess fat off the slab prior to cooking. The end product had many pieces with just too much fat, although you could eat around it. Just not sure how to better trim the fat, since in pork belly it’s so intertwined with the meat itself.

Anyway, thanks for the recipe. They were fun to make and eat. Probably need to run a little extra tomorrow to get the old ticker out of shock.

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, I could hear my arteries hardening just looking at the pictures. Looks terrific!

No. Have you read the new theory that pork fat serves to lubricate one's circulation system and help improve the flow?

 

[RobbieB]

I've heard that one must drink lots of alcohol to dissolve the plaque.

 

[NW-Bound]

Definitely. Alcohol is a good solvent, and makes a good blood thinner.

 

[braumeister]

I tried the burnt ends recipe today. They were very good. But I think next time I need to somehow trim more of the excess fat off the slab prior to cooking. The end product had many pieces with just too much fat, although you could eat around it. Just not sure how to better trim the fat, since in pork belly it’s so intertwined with the meat itself.

Anyway, thanks for the recipe. They were fun to make and eat. Probably need to run a little extra tomorrow to get the old ticker out of shock.

Sorry it wasn't optimal for you. It depends on what kind of smoker you have. If the fat hasn't rendered enough, just increase the length of time in the initial cook (like 2.5 hours instead of 2) and you should get a better result.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Sorry it wasn't optimal for you. It depends on what kind of smoker you have. If the fat hasn't rendered enough, just increase the length of time in the initial cook (like 2.5 hours instead of 2) and you should get a better result.

Thanks. Will do.

 

[OldShooter]

... I need to somehow trim more of the excess fat off the slab prior to cooking. The end product had many pieces with just too much fat, although you could eat around it. Just not sure how to better trim the fat, since in pork belly it’s so intertwined with the meat itself. ...

Yeah. I have had various pork belly dishes, including in Asia, and there has always been too much fat for me.

That's why I recommended making bacon (Post #10). With bacon you almost automatically render all the fat when you cook it. Another option might be pancetta, which is cured but unsmoked belly. It is often rolled, then cut to make attractive little pinwheel slices. Like bacon, the fat is typically rendered when it is cooked.

 

[BoodaGazelle]

There’s a book out: Eat Bacon, Don’t Jog. It is pretty good, but for a bacon lover, it might be self-serving.

 

[NYEXPAT]

View attachment 29766

I bought the belly at Costco, brined it for 2 days, seasoned it with a spicy/sweet dry rub, then smoked it in my offset smoker with hickory smoke for 15 hours. Then candied it with brown sugar in a pan on the gril before serving. The long cook rendered most of the fat away. Nothing better than a pork belly sandwich, covered in cole slaw, drpping with Blues Hog sauce! YOLO!

In Peru it is called a Chiccaron Sandwich! Served on a roll with a slice of sweet potato , onion and yellow pepper marinated in lime juice, and topped off with a spearmint leaf! We eat it for Sunday breakfast all over the country.