Smoked pork belly is an absolute treat that everyone who likes pork should be able to experience. It’s tender, juicy, and full of so much flavor, just like the bacon that gets cut from it. On the smoker, pork belly picks up the savory flavors of the smoker to deliver even richer tastes.
Learn how to smoke pork belly with this easy-to-follow guide featuring tips, explanations, and a smoked pork belly recipe.
What is Pork Belly Anyway?
The name “pork belly” gives away any secrecy of this cut. Pork belly literally comes from the belly of a pig, the same cut that most bacon comes from. It’s fatty, of course, but that’s what gives it its unique and robust flavor. You can expect pork belly to come out deliciously tender and juicy when it’s cooked using the right temperature and length of time.
Because pork belly is boneless, it is very versatile when it comes to the dishes it’s used in. Some people like to slice it into bacon, dice it up to top pasta or salads, slice it into thick strips for sandwiches, or enjoy it on its own as thick slices of pork.
The Method
Preparing the Pork Belly
Preparing pork belly only takes a few minutes. Your main task here is to remove the layer of skin attached to the pork belly, which many supermarkets leave intact when pre-packaging pork belly. If you order your pork belly straight from a butcher, you can ask for them to remove the skin or do it yourself when you get home. Remember to leave the fat cap alone, as you’ll want this in place when the pork belly cooks to add flavor and moisture.
Next, use a knife to score the fat cap, creating cross-hatch marks about one inch apart. This helps the fat render down and allows your seasonings to reach the meat. Finally, use your choice of seasonings or a dry rub to season the pork belly all over.
Preparing the Smoker
Fill the water pan in the smoker and add your wood chips or pellets. See below for some suggestions on the best wood chips or pellets to use when smoking pork belly. Make sure your smoker’s grates are clean and free of debris.
Set the smoker’s temperature to 225 degrees and allow it to preheat for 15-20 minutes.
Seasoning Choices
Smoked pork belly typically favors a mix of sweet and savory flavors. We like to use a dry rub on smoked pork belly, which really shines through the mix of smoking and fat rendering. A dry rub crisps up nicely on smoked pork belly when it combines with the pooled fat from the fat cap.
Here’s a dry rub mixture to consider:
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
Mix all seasonings together before spreading them along all sides of the pork belly.
Smoking Process
Smoking the pork belly takes several hours, so make sure you have plenty of time to spare to complete the process.
To start, place the seasoned smoked pork belly on a grill grate with the fat side up. If your pork belly is too big for one grate, cut it in half and place each piece on its own grate. Smoke the pork belly for 4-6 hours until it reaches 160 degrees. During this time, spritz the pork belly with water or apple cider vinegar once each hour.
Wrap the pork belly in foil or butcher paper and cook for another 1-2 hours or until it reaches 200 degrees. We suggest using a heat-safe thermometer that connects to a mobile app so you can monitor the temperature of your pork belly as it cooks.
That’s it! You don’t need to turn the pork belly or fuss with it too much while it cooks other than remembering to spritz it and wrap it with foil. Setting an alarm or timer can help you remember to complete each task.
Best Wood Chips or Wood Pellets to Use
Sweet flavors pair well with pork, so sweet woods are some of the best to use when smoking pork. Consider using fruit woods, like apple, pear, peach, or cherry wood chips or pellets. Fruit woods bring some balance to smoked pork belly when combined with the savory flavor of pork and the smokiness of the cook.
If you’re not a fan of fruit woods, don’t worry—there are plenty of other woods that also work well with pork. We love mesquite, hickory, alder, and pecan, for example. But the best way to find the wood that you love best is to experiment with different woods each time you cook pork belly.
Tips on Smoking Pork Belly
Want a few pointers for smoking pork belly before jumping in? We’ve got you covered. Here are some top tips for a successful smoked pork belly:
- Spritz it: Spritzing pork belly about once every hour during the smoking process keeps it moist and tender, preventing the edges from drying out instead of crisping up. You can spray it with water, but using apple cider vinegar or even white vinegar adds a bit more flavor to the pork belly and penetrates the meat better for extra tenderness.
- Wrap it: Once the pork belly reaches 160 degrees, wrap it in butcher paper or foil. Again, this allows it to continue cooking without drying out for the remaining smoking time.
- Temp it: Use a heat-safe thermometer that you can leave inside the pork belly in the smoker throughout the entire cooking process. This way, you can check on the pork belly’s temperature without opening the door more than you need to for spritzing.
- Rest it: Keep the pork belly wrapped after you remove it from the smoker and let it rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before cubing or slicing and serving.
Smoked Pork Belly Recipe
Try this smoked pork belly recipe with a delicious spice rub blend that boosts its flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 1 pork belly slab
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
- Score the pork belly fat cap. Combine the spices and rub the mixture onto all sides of the meat.
- Place the pork belly on a grate with the fat side up and transfer it into the smoker. Cook for 4-6 hours until it reaches 160 degrees. Spritz the pork belly with apple cider vinegar once per hour during this time.
- Wrap the pork belly with aluminum foil or butcher paper and cook for another 1-2 hours until the pork reaches 200 degrees.
- Keep the pork belly wrapped in foil and rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Conclusion: How to Smoke Pork Belly
Want more recipes and guides for smoked meat? Check out Steak University, where we share cooking tips and recipes for steak, pork, chicken, and more. Here are a few of our smoked meat guides to start with:
- How to Smoke a Beef Tenderloin
- How to Smoke Spare Ribs
- The Best Smoked Brisket Recipe
- How to Smoke Roast Beef
- How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin
- How to Smoke a Pork Butt
Smoked Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 1 slab pork belly
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
- Score the pork belly fat cap. Combine the spices and rub the mixture onto all sides of the meat.
- Place the pork belly on a grate with the fat side up and transfer it into the smoker. Cook for 4-6 hours until it reaches 160 degrees. Spritz the pork belly with apple cider vinegar once per hour during this time.
- Wrap the pork belly with aluminum foil or butcher paper and cook for another 1-2 hours until the pork reaches 200 degrees.
- Keep the pork belly wrapped in foil and rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.