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Juices drip from a freshly sliced piece of smoked pork belly.
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Complete Guide to Smoked Pork Belly (Step-by-Step)

Master smoked pork belly with this step-by-step guide. Get perfectly rendered fat, amazing bark, and incredible flavor. Bonus meal prep tips included.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Smoked Pork Belly
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings 8 servings
Author Andrew Armstrong

Equipment

  • Smoker
  • Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2-2.5 pound Pork Belly
  • 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Coarse Ground Pepper
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil OPTIONAL
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice OPTIONAL
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds OPTIONAL

Instructions

  • Preheat the Smoker
    Preheat your smoker to 275°F using Apple, Cherry, or Hickory wood. Allow the smoker to stabilize and produce clean, thin blue smoke. If using direct heat, place a water pan beneath the grates to catch fat drippings.
  • Prep and Portion the Meat
    Pat the pork belly completely dry with paper towels. If using a whole 8–10 lb slab, cut it into 4 equal quarters (~2 to 2.5 lbs each). If skin-on, slice off the skin before seasoning.
  • Season the Pork Belly
    Mix 2 tablespoon Kosher salt and 1 tablespoon 16-mesh black pepper. Evenly coat all sides of the pork belly. (Optional: Apply 1 tablespoon sesame oil, Chinese five spice, and toasted sesame seeds for an Asian flavor profile).
  • Smoke to Target Temperature
    Place the pork belly directly on the smoker grates, fat-side up. Close the lid and smoke for roughly 4 hours until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads your target temp:
    190°F for tender, sliceable pork belly.
    200°F+ for ultra-tender, shreddable pork belly.
  • Rest and Serve
    Remove the pork belly from the smoker and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing.
  • Storage & Reheating (Optional)
    To store, cool completely in the refrigerator before vacuum-sealing. Freeze for later use. To reheat individual slices in a hot skillet for 2–3 minutes per side, or reheat whole slabs in a 145°F sous vide water bath.