Grilled Pork Belly (Juicy)

One of my favorite grilled pork belly recipes.

Thick, juicy pork belly roasted low and slow, first in a savory dry rub, then in a rich BBQ sauce, creating a heavenly, smokey flavor you’ll crave.

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• There’s so much flavor in this dish! There’s a dry rub with the perfect balance of savory spices, a slightly sweet BBQ sauce, and that fantastic smokey flavor that only grilling can provide. Is your mouth already watering?
• This recipe uses a leisurely, low-temperature grilling approach to produce juicy, supple pork belly burnt ends that aren’t dry or harsh. It takes some time, but as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait…
• All things considered, pork belly burnt ends are relatively hands-off. You don’t have to do anything for another 2.5 hours after you put the meat on the grill! The glaze is then applied, and everything is returned to the grill for another 2 hours.
• These can be the primary protein in your cookout meal, part of a larger grilled-food spread, or served as an excellent appetizer on a plate with toothpicks!

Important Ingredients

Pork Belly – Do you enjoy bacon? The chances are you’ll enjoy pork belly as well! Both are made from pig belly, however pork belly refers to the entire slab of meat, whereas bacon is made from that slab.

Bacon is cured (usually) and smoked, whereas pork belly is uncured and unsmoked.

This dish calls for skinless pork belly. You have the option of purchasing it without the skin or purchasing it with the skin on and removing it yourself.

BBQ Sauce – The flavor of your pork belly burnt ends will be greatly influenced by the sauce you use! Perhaps a sweeter sauce, such as maple bourbon, is more your style. If you prefer the heat, go for a bottle with a little kick.

Chef’s Advice For Grilled Pork Belly Burnt Ends

• If you get pork belly with the skin on, remove it for this dish. If you’ve never done it before, it’s a little tough (and time-consuming). A very sharp knife, a cutting board, and a lot of patience are required. Working away from you and away from the meat, run the knife underneath the skin at an angle. It takes a little dexterity to peel away the skin with your other hand at the same time.
• Allow the pork belly to rest for 5-10 minutes after coating it in a dry rub before placing it on the grill. This simply allows the spices to soak into the meat for longer, increasing the overall flavor.
• To create the perfect combination, tweak the spices in your dry rub. If you prefer your food spicier, use 12 teaspoons of cayenne instead of 14 teaspoons. Want a less sweet version of pork belly burnt ends? Slightly reduce the brown sugar. Play around with the proportions to find the perfect dry rub for you.

Grilled Pork Belly Burnt Ends

One of my favorite grilling recipes is pork belly burnt ends. Thick, juicy pork belly roasted low and slow, first in a savory dry rub, then in a rich BBQ sauce, creating a heavenly, smokey flavor you’ll crave.

Ingredients For Grilled Pork Belly Burnt Ends

For the Dry Rub

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 packed tablespoon brown sugar see Notes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the BBQ Glaze

• ⅔ cup BBQ sauce of choice
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 packed tablespoons brown sugar see Notes

For the Pork Belly

• 3 pounds pork belly non-salted, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or other neutral oil

Equipment

• Charcoal grill (or smoker)
• Medium bowl
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Large bowl
• Silicone spatula (optional)
• Disposable aluminum pan
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions For Grilled Pork Belly

1. Set the charcoal grill to 225° Fahrenheit to 250° Fahrenheit for low, indirect heat.
   In a small bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients. Set aside after fully mixing.
2. On a chopping board, place the pork belly. Cut pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes using a sharp knife.
3. Place pork belly cubes in a large mixing basin. Toss or whisk in the olive oil to completely coat the cubes. Toss or whisk in the dry rub once more.
4. Place seasoned pork belly chunks directly on bare wire rack over indirect heat on the grill. Grill for about 2 hours and 12 minutes, or until the meat is dark red.
5. Place the meat on a disposable aluminum pan after removing it from the grill. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the BBQ glaze and stir to combine.
6. Place pan on a wire rack in grill and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for another 2 hours, or until the pork belly reaches an internal temperature of 200°F. Remove from the grill and serve right away with your favorite sides.

Notes

• If you’re managing your sugar intake, you can substitute Brown Swerve for the sugar.
• Make it Keto by replacing the brown sugar with Brown Swerve and using a keto-friendly store-bought BBQ sauce (like Primal Kitchen Organic & Unsweetened Classic BBQ Sauce or G Hughes Original Sugar Free BBQ Sauce)

This recipe serves around 10 people. Your desired portion sizes will determine the number of servings.

The nutritional values given are for one serving out of ten using the ingredients mentioned and are approximate. The exact macros will vary depending on the brands and types of ingredients utilized.

Prepare the recipe as directed to get the weight of one serving. Weigh the final recipe, then divide the weight (excluding the weight of the container in which the food is stored) by 10. The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 806kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 79g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 37g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 510mg, Potassium: 324mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 402IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 10g