chunks of candied pork belly smoked low n slow
More popularly known for being cooked hot and fast to achieve that golden crunchy crackling, pork belly is becoming increasingly popular in the world of low and slow. Cooking at a lower temperature allows you to add some smoke, for the fat to melt and the muscles to loosen up leaving you with a super tasty piece of pork.
Brisket burnt ends are the more popular, older sister of pork belly ends with a similar cooking method involved. The end result are cubes of saucy, sweet and crazy tender morsels of flavour.
ingredients
- 2kg pork belly, rind removed
- Olive oil
- You’re favourite pork rub (we like to use Lane’s BBQ Sweet Heat)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (we use our espresso sauce without the coffee)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp honey
directions
- Trim up any dangly bits off the belly and cut into 3cm cubes. Source a belly with an even thickness so each cube has a similar shape and therefore similar cooking time.
- Apply a small amount of oil to each piece and coat in the rub.
- Fire up your smoker aiming for an ambient temperature of 250f/135c.
- Place the belly pieces on a wire rack evenly spaced apart and then into the smoker.
- Smoke for around 3 hours or until the pieces reach an internal temperature near the 190f/88c mark.
- Mix together the BBQ sauce, butter and honey and add to a disposable aluminium tray along with the belly pieces. Toss to coat, cover the tray with foil and put back into the smoker.*
- Cook for approximately 45 minutes until the sauce thickens and the belly becomes soft and squishy. Remove the foil and allow to cook for another 15 minutes or so. You’re looking for an internal temperature around the 200f/93c mark.
- Enjoy your pork belly burnt ends!
*Use a disposable tray that comfortably holds the pieces so they sit about 1cm apart.
For other low and slow ideas check out our smoking section.
