Pork Belly SVQ Burnt Ends

[BourBonQ]

Have had good success with naked 158x24 bath (thank you Potkettleblack ), then finishing on smoker with rub and glaze, similar to Malcolm Reed method. This has produced very succulent results, even leaving skin on.

Question... any advantage/difference to going longer in the bath (48+ hrs?) at a lower temp?

[jgreen]

Don’t have an answer. To your question, but you just made me hungry even without a food pic.

[Potkettleblack]

You're welcome.

I haven't see a breakdown on various times/temps for pork belly, but I think the ChefSteps video series on short ribs is instructive.

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/beef-short-ribs-your-way

As you go lower, you get more steak like texture, and as you go longer, you get more collagen breakdown. At 158x24, you're getting a juicier version of a traditional braise. I wouldn't take pork below 135, but that's maybe just me. That's where I like the loin meat, and I've converted a few folks to that way of thinking. But with belly, the breakdown of the collagen is the most important thing, I think. So, I might take it down to 144x48 and see if I can get something like steaky/braisy nuggets.

[EdF]

Your thinking is generally inspiring!

[ptehan]

I made sous vide + PBC smoked pork belly burnt ends and everyone at work went bonkers over them. But they were just too succulent for my taste, melted to nothing in my mouth. It was the first time I ever really ate pork belly - is this what people want when they eat it or did I do something wrong. Sous vide does wonderful things to fat but this felt like just too much fat for my taste.

[EdF]

Personally I like the Sieuw Yuk approach, which is a combination of that melt in your mouth texture and a very crispy crust. Search for it on the internuts - you might like it.

[BourBonQ]

Here's what has become my go-to method for SVQ pork belly:

1. SV naked @158x24, skin on, provides a nice bite (not chewy) - SV does wonders. Will try Potkettleblack's 144x48 recommendation above one of these days just to see the difference.
2. Cut into 1" cubes.
3. Rub with salt and MMD or other rub. Have been using MH's Asian rub lately.
4. Onto the PBC grate for an hour or so to smoke, skin side up.
5. For finishing I will either go with something similar to Malcom Reed's brown sugar and butter "braising" style in a foil pan, or lately I have just been leaving them on the grate, lid off and turning them skin side down to crisp over the higher heat, then brush on a glaze such as MH's Banh Mi style glaze until it sets nicely.

This has become a crowd favorite, and fairly easy to prepare.

And to EdF's point, crisping it over high heat at the end gives a nice contrast to the ultra succulent result of low and slow in the SV/PBC.

Enjoy!

[EdF]

Nice. Thanks!

[Potkettleblack]

That’s right.