David Theiss: Pork belly burnt ends (recipe)

Lately I’ve been noticing a trend that involves two of my favorites: pork belly and barbecue. When these two are involved, I’m always game to try something new, especially when it gives me an excuse to fire up my backyard pellet smoker.

With the invention of the backyard smoker and the many different types of smoking pellets, the whole process is a lot easier and fun. And with so many brands like Traeger, Pit Boss, Weber, Oklahoma joes and many more, they all do a great job.

But you don’t really need the fancy smoker to get the job done. Don’t have a smoker in your backyard? Well, there’s an oven recipe that works just as well.

Pork belly is nothing new, it’s what bacon is made from. That’s right, it’s the same cut of pork that you will slice bacon into, but the key difference is that it has not been sliced, smoked or cured. Some meats tend to dry out in a long cooking cycle, but the great thing about pork belly is that it doesn’t.

Having layers of fat and meat allow it to stay nice and juicy while slowly being smoked. As with most items cooked on these specialty smokers, it takes sometimes anywhere from four to 15 hours depending on the cut.

With this recipe you will be looking at about five hours to complete, so you’ll have to plan ahead a bit. This recipe is great for a party or large event, as it is always a crowd favorite. Before you get started, you’ll have to find some pork belly.

I carry all sorts of sizes all the time. I recommend skin off as the skin won’t render and remove any excess fat before cooking. If you choose to use your smoker, I recommend using hickory pellets as it gives you a nice, mellow smoke.

Cherry or apple pellets are also good choices. So, whether you choose to use a smoker or your regular old oven, this recipe comes out delicious.

Ingredients

4-pound skinless pork belly

Your favorite barbecue sauce (sweeter is better)

Your favorite dry rub (I carry many rubs and can give you a great recommendation if you aren’t sure what to use)

Directions for the smoker

Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees. Cut the pork belly into 1-inch cubes and in a large bowl, toss cubes with dry rub until evenly coated.

Place pork directly on the cooking grate in the smoker and cook for about 3-1/2 hours. Remove the pork belly from the smoker, place in a disposable aluminum pan, toss with barbecue sauce, and place the aluminum pan back on the smoker to cook for another 45 minutes.

Remove from the smoker and let it rest for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Directions for the oven

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Use a baking sheet with a wire rack and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place seasoned, cubed pork on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Spray pork belly with apple cider vinegar every hour to help retain moisture.

After 3 hours, remove the pork belly to an aluminum baking pan, toss with barbecue sauce, and put back into the oven for one more hour. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

David Theiss is owner of Butler Gourmet Meats in Carson City.