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Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: brettbrown on August 28, 2015, 09:13:03 PM

Title: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 28, 2015, 09:13:03 PM
So Costco started carrying pork belly and I picked one up to cook on Sunday. It's is 9.5 lbs, but I plan on cutting it in half and freezing the half I don't cook. I'm not curing it to make bacon. I've seen a video where a guy smoked it and shredded it. I've seen it baked and braised. Anyone have suggestions on what to do with it?
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: austin87 on August 28, 2015, 09:59:17 PM
Put a sweet/spicy rub on it and smoke for 3-4 hours. Cut it into cubes, add more sugar, double smoke it and make belly burnt ends.

They will be phenomenal.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 29, 2015, 06:28:40 AM
Thanks Austin. That's kind of what I was thinking. Cubed is a good idea.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: blieb on August 29, 2015, 07:07:52 AM
I've got to stop at Costco today to check for belly.  Would be a great first smoke for the WSM 14.5.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Idahawk on August 29, 2015, 07:38:55 AM
Sounds great can't wait to see what you come up with . I hope my Costco has em !


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: iCARRY on August 29, 2015, 09:57:59 AM
Hope my Costco has this too.


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Title: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: butkusrules on August 29, 2015, 10:11:20 AM
Smoked it twice now , much better flavor cutting the belly into 2 inch wide strips. Also I let it get up to 205. So much fat, it never got close to drying out and the flavor concentrated a bit


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Derrick on August 29, 2015, 10:18:14 AM
I wish my Costco had pork belly!


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: powermatt99 on August 29, 2015, 12:09:13 PM
I'm already anxiously awaiting some pictures of this cook. Those of us in condos are living vicariously through you and you must deliver.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: crowderjd on August 29, 2015, 03:05:15 PM
Costco in Las Vegas has pork belly, both sliced and whole!  But that will be a project for another day!

Here's a video link for more inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsAzNuwPFnw
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: iCARRY on August 29, 2015, 05:06:39 PM
What was the price per pound on the belly? Is the skin still on? Oh I hope my Costco sells it.


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: jimmy_dong on August 29, 2015, 05:48:54 PM
The Costco near me just started carrying pork belly as well. Today was the 1st time I seen it. Picked up 2 10+ # slabs. The skin is still on. $2.69/lb price I think. The 2 I picked were around $20-$21 or so.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 29, 2015, 07:04:25 PM
Mine had the skin removed. It is 9.5 lbs and paid around $27 for it. I already threw away the label. I ended up cutting it in half. Going to try and smoke on my mini wsm. Here's a pic rubbed with meathead Memphis dust with a slight variation. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/29/2a636448c80fe5474434bb41f1e28974.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/29/77ad1d05ece6b51e531e2d4161a2a124.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/29/8b1e52169be28b6f012a7bb3738beef9.jpg)
Going to go with a smoke around 225 and see what happens. I'll post pics throughout the cook. Thanks for the replies.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 08:32:46 AM
Threw it on this morning. Using my mini and its a perfect fit (I cut it in half). Using the minion method with 7 fully lit coals to get it going and three chunks of Apple wood. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/e292d28a425112f8aad1559e32348aa3.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/dbd5ccac7e93ed21a02b635a2848c14a.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/8da5b853a92517fc0b4d8a42ddf10351.jpg)
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 10:49:58 AM
About 3 hours in. Temp has been steady around 245. I love this mini!(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/2f7a830dd6ef5bb938c3b120bbae3414.jpg)
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 11:32:56 AM
So I cut it in half again. Wrapped half in foil with a little butter, hot sauce and maple syrup. Added a little rub and back on the mini. The other half I sliced about 1/2" thick, covered all sides with rub and back on the mini. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/930d15279fe0dd4cba97ee6b81f1cd1b.jpg)I have 5 pieces that wouldn't fit, I don't have my second grate in, so I'm going to pan fry like you would do bacon
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: blieb on August 30, 2015, 12:31:31 PM
My Costco didn't have belly :(
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 02:45:37 PM
Here's the larger chunk. Cooked to 208 degrees. It's ready to fall apart. Still lots of fat left. Going to pull it in about 30 min and take out the larger fat chunks. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/e6edfbeea299738f05a451781b840f92.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/e1974a81b19cd0bacfbb45082b6abd61.jpg)
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 03:19:08 PM
Ok all done. The larger chunk shredded really well. But was a little drier than I would have thought. I left it on longer to try and tender down the fat a little more and maybe that was a mistake. Flavor is great tho. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/a7ca9b3362928553bf032c2512118eea.jpg)
Not the burnt end style that Austin recommended are amazing. I put some sweet siracha bbq sauce on them. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/30/887a5ecee6c60909e8500564f671c32d.jpg)
If I were to do it again I would slice the whole thing before cooking and go with the burnt end style.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 30, 2015, 03:21:34 PM
Sorry for the ugly foil plated shots.  Not a whole lot of time, off to my parents for dinner.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: austin87 on August 31, 2015, 03:00:00 PM
Looks pretty good! Glad the burnt ends worked out!
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: pbe gummi bear on August 31, 2015, 03:49:17 PM
Hey Brett, you did a real good job on this one. The slices look like candy on post #15. Which Costco did you get a whole pork belly from?
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: WNC on August 31, 2015, 05:56:46 PM
Looks great, I've got plans for a mini too!
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Santo on August 31, 2015, 06:09:51 PM
Couple questions for ya (and my apologies for sounding green as grass on these, I'm just getting into smoking, grabbed a SJ just today to turn into a mini soon)...

You said you wanted to roll at 225 degrees originally but ended up at 245 for a long while and then 208.  Did you change your mind during the cook or was the temp change a product of the amount of fuel?

What was the final overall cook time?

Was anymore apple wood added during the cook or did was it just the 3 original chunks?

Final shots look delicious, thanks for sharing.

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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: SixZeroFour on August 31, 2015, 06:16:48 PM
I actually really like the foil shot! especially the "candy" sitting right in the center!
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 31, 2015, 06:36:51 PM
Couple questions for ya (and my apologies for sounding green as grass on these, I'm just getting into smoking, grabbed a SJ just today to turn into a mini soon)...

You said you wanted to roll at 225 degrees originally but ended up at 245 for a long while and then 208.  Did you change your mind during the cook or was the temp change a product of the amount of fuel?

What was the final overall cook time?

Was anymore apple wood added during the cook or did was it just the 3 original chunks?

Final shots look delicious, thanks for sharing.

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The smoker got up to 275 right off the bat. I had all the vents wide open at that time. I closed the bottom vent half way and the temp went down to 245 and hung around there all day. I didn't want to close the bottom vent anymore than that and I always leave the top vent wide open. So 245 is where I ended up, which was fine with me. The 208 temp was the internal temp of the meat when I took it off the smoker. I added one more chunk of Apple wood after I sliced the burnt end parts, and added another handful of charcoal too.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 31, 2015, 06:38:20 PM
Cook time was about 6 hours
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Santo on August 31, 2015, 06:46:45 PM
Couple questions for ya (and my apologies for sounding green as grass on these, I'm just getting into smoking, grabbed a SJ just today to turn into a mini soon)...

You said you wanted to roll at 225 degrees originally but ended up at 245 for a long while and then 208.  Did you change your mind during the cook or was the temp change a product of the amount of fuel?

What was the final overall cook time?

Was anymore apple wood added during the cook or did was it just the 3 original chunks?

Final shots look delicious, thanks for sharing.

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The smoker got up to 275 right off the bat. I had all the vents wide open at that time. I closed the bottom vent half way and the temp went down to 245 and hung around there all day. I didn't want to close the bottom vent anymore than that and I always leave the top vent wide open. So 245 is where I ended up, which was fine with me. The 208 temp was the internal temp of the meat when I took it off the smoker. I added one more chunk of Apple wood after I sliced the burnt end parts, and added another handful of charcoal too.
Gotcha, thanks.  Being new to smoking, would it be wise to keep a log of the cooks, maybe help dial in fuel/wood/time?

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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on August 31, 2015, 06:54:18 PM
My brother keeps a log of his cooks, but he uses a pellet smoker whick is a little easier to control and duplicate cooks. I''ve always just shot for a temp anywhere between 220-270.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Santo on September 01, 2015, 02:51:39 AM
Sounds good, thanks for the tips.  Again, nice job on the cook, it looked delicious from the photos!

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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Craig on September 01, 2015, 06:49:11 AM
Looks fantastic! I've been wanting to do this for some time. Now I just need to get off my butt and do it. Nice job!
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Gettinit on September 01, 2015, 05:08:59 PM
I have done several.  The meat comes out great.  Fat can almost never be rendered completely because, well, it's mostly fat and that is what most want...to a point. 

I would love to know how to make a good cook with crackling.  The skin is either hard as a rock or rubber.  I have only tried it on a OTG 22"
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: iCARRY on September 01, 2015, 07:16:54 PM
My Costco doesn't carry them. I might have to swing by the butcher.


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: brettbrown on September 01, 2015, 08:26:40 PM
This belly had the skin removed so there was no cracklings this time. We did make some when we were camping. We grilled it and flipped it a lot till it got crunchy. Some was good, the rest was like you said. Rock hard or floppy.
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: jcnaz on September 02, 2015, 09:06:50 PM
If you happen to have some pig skin lying around...
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/chicharrones-cracklins-pork-rinds/msg98062/#msg98062
Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: jfbincypress on September 10, 2015, 07:12:56 PM
Asian style dish with pickled carrots and steamed green beans and asparagus, over rice with a 62 degree poached egg:

 (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/10/9b7e643f73d1bac88d4a6d548878b02b.jpg)


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: BBQ_Skit on November 19, 2015, 07:43:20 PM
Brett, did you score the fat side before your cook?


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Title: Re: Pork Belly Ideas?
Post by: Craig on November 21, 2015, 05:04:54 AM
That looks pretty good. Ill have to see if my local Costco has these.