Smoked Pork Belly Question

[HotSun]

Thanks to you folks here at AR, I figured out what to do with this pork belly, about 4# worth. I will be smoking this tomorrow low and slow using my standard homemade pork rub, probably with hickory, cherry, and/or Japanese maple.

Question for the group: should I plan to catch the drippings, or to put it another way, are the drippings worth saving? I know there will be a lot of drippiness happening and a good amount of that will be fat, so I will have a pan to catch things.

Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I would challenge you to cut that in half and do half with your regular rub, and half with just S&P. I was really surprised at how good it was with just S&P.

[Stuey1515]

This, let the meat speak for itself, I reckon

[HotSun]

I would challenge you to cut that in half and do half with your regular rub, and half with just S&P. I was really surprised at how good it was with just S&P.

Someone else mentioned S&P in one of the threads, so I'll do what you suggest. I've never done a pork belly, so this is exciting, especially since I can often find them on sale or manager's special.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Yes, I was really pleased with how the S&P alone allowed the pork flavors to shine through. My mouth is watering, I'm trying to think what I can cook this weekend when I finally have time. Of course, being on a diet, I've only eaten 2 small salads in the last 72 hours - so I'm kinda drooling over everything at the moment - even my fingernails. lol

[Oak Smoke]

The guy at Meat Church has a good video on a pork belly with just S&P. I believe he called it pork belly brisket. It looked great.

[Jfrosty27]

Oh geez. Now I need to buy a piece of belly. So, so good off the smoker. Can’t wait to see the results.

[radiodome21]

First time I did a pork belly on my pellet smoker the drip soup can I used, a relatively empty 28oz can overflowed and I had quite the mess to clean. I never thought of using a drip pan. It was a big one I bought at Costco.

second one I did was in my WSM and I used the water bowl. It was a smaller duroc pork belly I picked up at my local grocery store in Wisconsin.

damn good both times.

[HawkerXP]

Yep, catching any juices, weather to be used with the meat or for something later is always worth doing.
And as stated above. Keeps the cooker clean!

[HotSun]

Thank you all for the help. I'll post my results in the SUWYC thread, assuming everything goes well.

[bbqLuv]

Pork Belly Burnt Ends! Look at the size of Malcom Reed and you know it has to be good. "Let's Get Cooking"
Pork Belly Burnt Ends | Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends on UDS Smoker - YouTube​

And this is my "goto" video to review the making Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends Video - YouTube​

[HotSun]

I'll do one of these on the next pork belly I get, thanks!

[Starsky]

I must be doing something wrong. Any drippings I catch become very dark from the smoke. I'm assuming bitter as well for the same reason

[HotSun]

I'm smoking now with a drip pan over my water pan and just under the bellies, so I shall see how that goes. I will be posting the results on SUWYC later today.

[WillTravelForFood]

Question for the group: should I plan to catch the drippings, or to put it another way, are the drippings worth saving? I know there will be a lot of drippiness happening and a good amount of that will be fat, so I will have a pan to catch things.

Save the drippings for the base of a pork ramen broth

[HotSun]

Oh yeah, love my ramen. Great idea!

[HotSun]

DogFaced PonySoldier had it right with the S&P....crushed it at dinner tonight, posting my cook over in the SUWYC thread.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

W00T! S&P pork belly is some gooooooooood shizzzzzzz.... now you got me craving. I got 3 butts finishing on the smoker right now, and I'm thinking I want some pork belly for tomorrow! lol Trying to FIND some is the problem.