Smoked Pork Belly Strips

Overhead close up of three smoked pork belly slices with grill marks.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork belly

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 10

Servings: people

Calories: 605kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

Smoked Pork Belly Strips are the only thing better than bacon! Seasoned with an easy dry rub, the pork is cooked low and slow until it’s tender, juicy, and melts in your mouth. It’s a smoky and deeply flavored cut of meat that must make an appearance at your next barbecue.

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Equipment

Smoker or Pellet Grill

Ingredients

2 pounds pork belly cut into 1-inch strips
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat a smoker or pellet grill to 250-degrees.
Mix spices and brown sugar and rub into all sides of the pork belly.
Place the pork belly strips directly onto the smoker grate and cook for about three hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200-degrees.
Remove the strips from the smoker and serve.

Notes

Tips and tricks

Room temperature pork belly will always cook more evenly than chilled pork. To bring the pork belly down to room temperature, place the slices on the kitchen counter for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.
Use a meat thermometer to check that the pork belly is cooked to 200ºF. You can pull it from the smoker when the internal temp is between 165ºF to 170ºF, tent it with foil, and let the residual heat finish bringing it up to 200ºF.
After smoking, let the pork rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help every bit of flavor absorb back into the meat.

Customize it

Swap the dry spices in this recipe for a Cajun seasoning blend.
Make it extra smoky by swapping the spices for my chili seasoning.
Add a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes to the dry rub for extra heat.
To make pork belly burnt ends, coat the bites of pork in barbecue sauce or white BBQ sauce. Place them in a skillet over high heat to quickly sear the sauce, creating “burnt ends”.

Nutrition