Allow me to cut to the chase. Pork belly is everything you love (and far more) about thick, glorious slices of slowly smoked, meaty and tender, sweet and salty, soul-satisfying, caramelized bacon. And… as you’ll read further in this post, barbecued pork belly is on another level entirely!
But, while bacon is pork belly, pork belly is not bacon. Let me explain.
Pork belly is the raw primal cut of flesh butchered from the inactive, under belly-side of the pig. The pig has 2 belly slabs weighing on average, before butchering and trimming, 8-18 pounds each. This un-cured and un-smoked hunk of fatty pork is most often purchased boneless and has long been considered a gastro delicacy from one end of the globe to the next, from it’s application in the Chinese dish, Dongpo Pork, to the deep-fried Chicharrón of South America and salt-cured pancetta of Italian fame. In the United States we prepare a nearly-unbelievable, one billion of pounds of bacon from the pork belly each year, with the average American consuming more than 3 pounds per person!
From sea to shining sea, we love pork belly in all forms. And, I believe no better way to feature this glorious selection of hog heaven then to season, smoke and caramelize bite-sized chunks over a smoldering inferno of hardwoods and livefire, then skewer alongside bright citrus fruits, and wash it all down with a cold brew amongst the best of family and closest of friends. But, I’ll get there in just a moment.
With that said, this recipe was inspired by my recent travels to the heartland of the USA – Memphis, Tennessee – home of “Memphis in May,” the grand-daddy of global barbecue competitions. Each spring 10s of 1000s of hungry visitors stroll from the blues halls of nearby Beale Street to jam the Mississippi River shoreline and feast upon the greatest smoked fare from sea to shining sea, and celebrate as the new Kings and Queens of outdoor cooking are crowned above their barbecue brethren.
“Memphis in May” specifically features all variations of pork and measures hundreds of the best pit masters in the world, one against all, in a blind taste testing competition. While there is a hard-nosed degree of intensity to the business of this festival for competitors, this event is truly folks from all walks of life gathering on common ground, enjoying the blessing of mouthwatering barbecued fare.
During my recent whirlwind trip through the event I was fortunate to step behind the scenes, interview many top competitors as they worked, learn from the most talented of outdoor cooks, connect with brands on the forefront of culinary taste and technology, and crack a brewski or two with several old and new friends. Just an outstanding experience.
In one conversation after another there were a multitude of commonalities amongst competing teams in terms of smokers and grilling rigs, fuel sources, techniques, rubs, and sauces, but among my favorite conversations took place under the B&B Charcoal tent with the Vice President of Head Country Bar-B-Q, Paule Schatte. Paul shared several best practices and insights around how the best pit masters at the event were applying Head Country’s gourmet marinades, rubs, sauces and seasonings into their recipes, creating consistent, award-winning pork shoulder, baby back ribs and whole hog!
I named this recipe in honor of my conversation with Paul – the Ponca City Smoked Pork Belly and Pineapple Skewers are simple in preparation, elementary in execution and straight perfection in presentation.
The trimmed pork belly is rested to room temperature, then scored in cross-hatch fashion across the fat layer and seasoned liberally with Head Country’s Sweet and Spicy Championship Seasoning. The pork belly is smoked and roasted over hickory wood to an internal temperature of 190F, sliced into cubes, then skewered along with fresh hunks of tangy pineapple and grilled over searing heat, while layer after caramelized layer of Head Country Hickory Smoke Bar-B-Q Sauce is basted upon the skewers. The dish is garnished with fresh herbs, sided by charred corn on the cob, and paired with a tall mug of ice cold, golden summer ale. An incredible meal, easily prepared for a family of four or a feast of fourty.
For this recipe, tips and recommendations to cultivate the perfect pork belly skewers, read onwards. -Cheers and long live the adventure, David
- 3-4 pounds pork belly, skin removed and trimmed
- Olive oil
- Head Country Sweet and Spicy Championship Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
- Kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorn, to taste
- 4 cups hickory wood smoking chips, soaked in water 1 hour prior to use
- 1 cup apple juice, plus ¼ cup separated
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 large pineapple, core removed and sliced into cubes
- 8-10 metal or wooden skewers, if wooden, soaked in water 1 hour prior to use
- Head Country Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
- 2-3 stalks green spring onion, finely sliced, to garnish
- Preheat the Smoker: Ignite charcoal with a chimney starter and prepare smoker to 225F. Apply soaked hickory wood chips to infuse another level of flavor throughout the cook.
- Preparation: Before smoking, remove pork belly from refrigeration and rest covered on the counter until room temperature throughout. Using a sharp chef’s knife, score the pork belly’s fatty top in a crosshatch fashion, then liberally apply a rub of olive oil, Head Country’s Sweet and Spicy Championship Seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Ensure to cover the pork belly on all sides with the rub, especially between the score marks.
- Smoking the Pork Belly: Place the pork belly fat-side up into the center of the smoker. Intermittently moisten the pork with a spray consisting of apple cider, water, bourbon and vinegar. Remove the pork from the smoker at an internal temperature of 165F. Immediately wrap the smoked pork tightly in a double layer of butcher’s paper or heavy duty tin foil, along with a ¼ cup of apple juice. Return to the smoker, cooking until an internal temperature of 195F. Remove pork from the heat and rest on counter for 30 minutes.
- Grilling the Skewers: Preheat grill to high heat. Meanwhile, unwrap the resting pork belly and slice into ¾-1” cubes. Skewer the pork along with the pineapple, then brush meat and fruit with Head Country’s Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce. Place the skewers over direct heat grill grates for 1-2 minutes per side, while brushing one caramelized layer after another of barbecue sauce onto the skewers. Remove the skewers from the grill, brush one final time with barbecue sauce and set aside to cool.
- Plating: Serve on the skewer or off, family-style. Season additionally with salt and pepper, to taste, then finish with a simple garnish of fresh spring onion, sliced on the diagonal. Pair with a crisp, refreshing summer brew and serve amongst the best of family and friends.
