Stack them in a bun, in tacos, or top a burger, you can’t go wrong with Smoked Pork Belly Bites. Sweet, salty, and smoky, burnt ends are often made from the fatty point of brisket. This recipe turns that tradition on its head and instead uses fatty and tender pork belly.
Cutting the pork belly into small cubes from the start ensures that each piece gets evenly seasoned and will end up with a beautiful crust on each bite. You’ll want to cook these low and slow, in indirect heat, so that the pork belly ends up nice and tender, and not chewy.
No matter how you eat them, make sure to serve plenty of pickles, sliced red onions, and extra barbecue sauce on the side. The pickles and onions will add a nice acidic bite and who could resist extra sauce?
Smoked Pork Belly Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pounds pork belly skin removed
- duck fat or oil spray
- Blues Hog Original Dry Rub Seasoning or favorite all-purpose rub
- apple juice for spritzing
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced
- light brown sugar to taste
- honey to taste
- Blues Hog Original Barbecue Sauce or favorite BBQ sauce
Equipment
- wire cooling rack
- 2 large aluminum pans
Directions
- Cut the pork belly into 1-inch (2 1/2cm) cubes. Spray the pork belly with the duck fat spray and sprinkle all sides evenly with the Blues Hog seasoning.
- Spray the wire cooling rack with duck fat spray. Place the pork belly cubes fat side-up on the rack, leaving a small space between each cube for even cooking.
- Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) with lump charcoal and your favorite fruit or nut tree wood.
- Transfer the wire rack to the smoker and cook for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, spritz the cubes with apple juice. Continue to cook the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
- Transfer the pork to an aluminum pan. Top the pork with the butter slices, then sprinkle with brown sugar and honey. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and return to the smoker.
- Continue to cook the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F (95 degrees C), about 1 ½ hours.
- Using tongs, transfer the pork to a new aluminum pan. Add the BBQ sauce and toss gently to coat. Return the pork to the smoker and cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
More Pork Belly Recipes
BBQ Smoked
Candied Pork Belly Cubes
Dutch Oven Main Dish
Chinese Braised Pork Belly
BBQ Smoked
