Pork belly?

[bbqking]

so it has to be pink? Cause I make jerky all the time (on a dehydrator) and have some white cure that I use. Plus I’m having trouble finding the correct amount of mixture per lbs of belly

 

[Dassman5]

so it has to be pink? Cause I make jerky all the time (on a dehydrator) and have some white cure that I use. Plus I’m having trouble finding the correct amount of mixture per lbs of belly

No it doesn’t have to be pink as any curing salt will work. Curing salt is typically pink, however, to differentiate it from table salt. My preference is for Prague #1 pink InstaCure Powder, which is readily available from Amazon as well as many other sources..

for 4# or 5# of pork belly: add 1 cup of Kosher salt, I cup of honey, I cup of Grade B (dark) maple syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons of pink curing salt to 3 1/2 quarts of water. Dissolve in a large pot, put pork belly into the pot and place a plate or other weight on the pork to keep it submerged in the liquid for 48 to 72 hours. Remove, pat dry, add crushed pepper to fat layer and put on a rack in the refrigerator for 12 hours (or overnight). Then smoke with the pellets of your choice (we prefer Hickory).

 

[Dassman5]

That recipe, by the way, is courtesy of the Weber Smoke book and is probably the easiest for first timers.

 

[bbqking]

Thank you! I have a pork belly in the freezer, Im going to pull it out, and try it. If it works well, I’m probably going to get fatter, cause who doesn’t like bacon?!

 

[bbqking]

For smoking what temp, and for how long? I read set at 175....until internal temp is at 150...

 

[Dassman5]

For smoking what temp, and for how long? I read set at 175....until internal temp is at 150...

I usually start the grill at 200 F and after it stabilizes, put to added smoke setting for 30 to 45 minutes, then set back to regular smoke at 200 until internal temperature of the thickest part gets to 150F...typically 2 to 3 hours total. Don’t overcook, and going low and slow yields the best bacon. The amount of smoke and what flavor pellet is just something with which to experiment as it is personal preference. Apple and Hickory tend to work best.

 

[Dassman5]

Once finished, you can wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 1 week before slicing and frying. Or, I usually vacuum seal and freeze, where it is fine for up to 6 months...although it never seems to stay in the freezer that long.

 

[bbqking]

I’m definitely going to try it!

 

[Old Man Grills]

What do you do with your pork pellet when it is done? I have only done burnt ends.

Pork belly is a staple in Asia so thats wear I head.
I marinate mine in soy, chilli, lime, 5 spice, garlic and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, slow cook it (with or without smoke) and then do it with stir fry noodles. I have also sliced it into 1 inch thick steaks, marinate it then reverse sear.

 

[Dassman5]

Pork belly is a staple in Asia so thats wear I head.
I marinate mine in soy, chilli, lime, 5 spice, garlic and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, slow cook it (with or without smoke) and then do it with stir fry noodles. I have also sliced it into 1 inch thick steaks, marinate it then reverse sear.

Sounds delicious! Do you mind sharing the recipe?

 

[Old Man Grills]

Sounds delicious! Do you mind sharing the recipe?

Ah, that's a bit tricky as I don't tend to use a recipe; more of a make it up as you go type of cook. However, try this.

Marinade Recipe
20-30ml ml soy
1/4 chopped red chilli (I always freeze mine and then grate them, easier than chopping and stops them going off)
2 teaspoons chopped ginger (also frozen and grated with the skin still on )
juice of half a lime
1 clove finely chopped garlic
10ml runny honey
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
3-4 shakes of Worcester sauce
1 finely chopped spring onion (including the green part)

Slice the pork belly into 1 inch thick steaks
Place pork into a large ziploc or tie bag
pour in marinade and leave in fridge overnight
1 hour before cooking remove from fridge to come too
Pour everything including the marinade in a pan and
Slow cook over indirect heat until the fat is rendered out (about 30-40 minutes)
Baste pork with the marinade as you go (it should go thicker and a bit sticky)
Turn up the heat and sear on a griddle or directly on the grate (you want to try and get the edges to catch and caramelise.

As I say I do a lot of it by eye and feel but that's half the fun.
If you want to make it stickier then add more honey to the marinade or add a bit while cooking.

Good luck and enjoy

 

[Dassman5]

Ah, that's a bit tricky as I don't tend to use a recipe; more of a make it up as you go type of cook. However, try this.

Marinade Recipe
20-30ml ml soy
1/4 chopped red chilli (I always freeze mine and then grate them, easier than chopping and stops them going off)
2 teaspoons chopped ginger (also frozen and grated with the skin still on )
juice of half a lime
1 clove finely chopped garlic
10ml runny honey
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
3-4 shakes of Worcester sauce
1 finely chopped spring onion (including the green part)

Slice the pork belly into 1 inch thick steaks
Place pork into a large ziploc or tie bag
pour in marinade and leave in fridge overnight
1 hour before cooking remove from fridge to come too
Pour everything including the marinade in a pan and
Slow cook over indirect heat until the fat is rendered out (about 30-40 minutes)
Baste pork with the marinade as you go (it should go thicker and a bit sticky)
Turn up the heat and sear on a griddle or directly on the grate (you want to try and get the edges to catch and caramelise.

As I say I do a lot of it by eye and feel but that's half the fun.
If you want to make it stickier then add more honey to the marinade or add a bit while cooking.

Good luck and enjoy

Thank you...I have another fresh pork belly coming soon and will give it a try. You have given me a great starting point to experiment!