This smoked pork belly recipe will be your new favorite thing to make with your smoker because it's so easy and utterly delicious. With loads of flavor from my simple pork dry rub, this pork belly is an extra special treat for meat lovers. Slice it thinly to make the ultimate pork belly sandwiches or enjoy it just as it is.
Try making some quick brioche buns if you plan on making pork belly sandwiches. If not, you can also serve it over white rice or with any of your favorite BBQ pork sides.
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If you are hosting a large crowd and you want everyone to leave happy and satisfied, this smoked pork belly is the way to do it. It makes for a fantastic appetizer, side dish, or main course that will have everybody coming for seconds.
Seriously, think bacon but 10x better! You can enjoy these thin slices of meaty heaven on their own or use them to build an epic BBQ pork belly sandwich. You can't go wrong either way.
🥘 Ingredients
You don't need much to make perfectly smoked pork belly. You just need to make sure you have a quality cut of meat.
- Pork Belly Slab - A 4-pound slab of pork belly with the skin trimmed.
- Pork Dry Rub - ½ cup of pork dry rub (1 batch of my dry rub or your favorite brand).
- Water (optional) - ½ cup water (optional, to mix with the vinegar).
- Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)- ½ cup of apple cider vinegar (optional, *see notes, or use an apple cider vinegar substitute).
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Smoked Pork Belly
Your smoker will do all the hard work here. You will also need a sharp knife, some measuring utensils, a cutting board, and a food-grade spritz bottle (if using the optional apple cider vinegar blend) to get started.
4 pounds of pork belly will make roughly 20 servings, but it all depends on how you use it! If making sandwiches, it will make closer to 12 servings, but if serving it as a side dish or appetizer, it goes a long way.
- Prep. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (105°C). Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to score the fat side of your 4-pound pork belly slab in a crosshatch pattern (be careful to only cut the fat, not into the meat).
- Season. Sprinkle ½ a cup of pork dry rub liberally over the pork belly slab on all sides. Massage it into the meat and into the crosshatch cuts
- Smoke. Once your smoker has preheated, place the slab of pork belly fat-side-up on the smoker grate. Close the door and smoke for 4 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C).
- Spritz (optional). After 1 ½ hours, spritz the pork belly with the blend of ½ a cup of apple cider vinegar and ½ a cup of water every 30 minutes until done (*See note).
- Rest. Remove the pork belly from the smoker and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Loosely cover it with foil and let it rest for 15-30 minutes.
- Serve. Thinly slice the smoked pork belly and serve it as is or use it to build sandwiches!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- 1 batch of my easy pork rub is enough to season 3-4 pounds of pork belly.
- If purchasing your pork belly from a butcher, you can ask them to remove the skin for you.
- If your pork belly is refrigerated, transfer it to the counter to come to room temperature for 1 hour before smoking. This helps it to smoke evenly.
- For added flavor, you can place your seasoned pork belly on a rack (leave it uncovered) and dry brine it in the fridge for 12-24 hours before smoking. I did not this time, but it turned out delicious nonetheless.
- Spritzing the pork belly with a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water blend is optional as I’m not a fan of opening the smoker more than necessary (but I do love the added flavor of the spritz).
- If you prefer your pork belly crispy, you may quickly pan-fry it for a few minutes after slicing.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once cooled, place the pork belly in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
Freezing
Wrap any leftover pork belly tightly in foil or plastic cling wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy within 6 months (though it is safe to eat for significantly longer than that). Thaw frozen pork belly in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
The easiest way to reheat the leftovers is in the microwave in 30-second increments until satisfied. Alternatively, you can quickly pan-fry slices until hot and crispy.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, with some adjustments. Pork belly makes a great substitute for bacon (it may even be better), though it is not as salty as bacon. So, you may need to increase the amount of salt used in the recipe. It is best to taste first, then add salt if needed.
Salt pork is made from pork belly that has been salted and cured (hence the name), whereas pork belly is a cut of meat from the side of the pig. Though they come from the same area, they have different flavors and textures.
It is best to smoke pork belly fat-side-up because it allows the fat to cook through and crisp up some. Also, as the fat renders, it runs down the meat, essentially basting it as it smokes.
😋 Best Smoker Recipes
- Smoked Lobster Tails - These smoked lobster tails are slathered with Cajun-spiced butter for an impressive seafood dinner!
- Bison Prime Rib - A juicy and tender bison dinner that only takes 15 minutes to prepare before the smoker takes over the work!
- Spatchcock Chicken - A perfectly smoked and mouthwatering chicken dinner that will impress even the pickiest of eaters!
- Traeger Smoked Brisket - If you've never smoked a brisket before, this recipe is the perfect place to start!
- Baby Back Ribs - A sweet and smoky baby back rib dinner that only requires a handful of ingredients to make!
- Smoked Tomahawk Steak - This perfectly smoked tomahawk steak will wow your family and friends!
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📖 Recipe Card
Smoked Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork belly slab (skin trimmed)
- ½ cup pork dry rub (1 batch of my dry rub, or your favorite brand)
- ½ cup water (optional, to mix with the vinegar)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar (optional, *see note)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F (105°C). Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to score the fat side of your pork belly in a crosshatch pattern (be careful to only cut the fat, not into the meat).
- Sprinkle the pork dry rub liberally over the pork belly slab on all sides. Massage it into the meat and into the crosshatch cuts.
- Once preheated, place the slab of pork belly fat-side-up on the smoker grate. Close the door and smoke for 4 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C).
- (optional) After 1 ½ hours, spritz the pork belly with the apple cider vinegar mixture every 30 minutes until done. (*See note).
- Remove the pork belly from the smoker and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Loosely cover it with foil and let it rest for 15-30 minutes.
- Thinly slice the smoked pork belly and serve.
Notes
- 1 batch of my easy pork rub is enough to season 3-4 pounds of pork belly.
- If purchasing your pork belly from a butcher, you can ask them to remove the skin for you.
- If your pork belly is refrigerated, transfer it to the counter to come to room temperature for 1 hour before smoking. This helps it to smoke evenly.
- For added flavor, you can place your seasoned pork belly on a rack and dry brine it in the fridge for 12-24 hours before smoking. I did not this time, but it turned out delicious nonetheless!
- Spritzing the pork belly with a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water blend is optional as I’m not a fan of opening the smoker more than necessary (but I do love the added flavor of the spritz).
- If you prefer your pork belly crispy, you may quickly pan-fry it for a few minutes after slicing.
- To store: Once cooled, place the pork belly in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Wrap pork belly tightly in foil or clingwrap then place it in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. For best flavor and texture, enjoy within 6 months (though it is safe to eat for significantly longer than that). Thaw frozen pork belly in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: The easiest way to reheat leftover smoked pork belly is in the microwave in 30-second increments until satisfied. Alternatively, you can quickly pan-fry slices until hot and crispy.
Jake C says
Very easy and tasty smoked pork belly I will be making again the next time I host.