Pork Belly

It's been a while since I've done whole belly. I use a variation of a recipe here from andyj. Starts with a stint on the gas grill, hot, indirect (450 - 500 F) for about 40 minutes, flipping once, to get a bit of char and render a lot of fat (around 3/4 cup from a 4- 5 lb belly), then into the smoker at 225F with a few chunks of peach wood for around 7 hours. I pull it at an IT of about 180F. At that time, the fat cap is mostly gone (I use a drip pan on a rack under the meat), but a lot of the internal fat is left, with really juicy meat, with a nice medium bark. It is sliceable and delicious. Times and temps will vary according to quality and fat content of the belly. I'll be doing it soon with a piece of heritage pork belly I got a while back. Hopefuly I'll get pics.

I went back and pulled my notes on my other pork bellies.  The total time was between 8-9 hours and temperature was 225-230 and darker bark.  This pork belly was very good.  I brought it in to work and my coworker loved it.

This pork belly was picture perfect juicy.  I did not have to squeeze it after it was cut.  The pork belly was oozing juice.

I have noticed with this smoker that the smoke infusion (flavor) seems to be more intense at a higher temperature.  When I cooked the fatty's and the shotgun shells, the temperature was around 275 for an hour and half.  I used 2oz with those cooks and the smoke was amazing.

I used 4 oz with this and it was smokey but not like the fatty's or the shotgun shells.  I ate the left over shotgun shells about month after the Superbowl.  When I opened the frozen vacuum bag, I was hit with smoke (it was awesome).

I am going to go with 250 next time and cook to temp.   I'm doing a brisket next month.  I have smoked briskets on my Weber with no issues.  I even used Sous Vide on a brisket for 62 hours and smoked for 3 hours.  It was very juicy but was not like a properly smoked brisket.

More to follow.

I’d be curious about the 62 hour brisket.  Perhaps another post about it?