Get ready to sink your teeth into the most perfect pork belly with crackling. So golden, so crunchy, you won’t believe it came out of your own backyard. This recipe is all about achieving that perfect even crunch on the outside while keeping the meat juicy and tender on the inside. It’s a labor of love, but trust me, it’s well worth the effort. With a few simple ingredients and some patience, you’ll be able to achieve that perfect crackling every time. So fire up the grill, grab a cold one, and let’s get started!
Kamado Joe Crispy Pork Belly
Ingredients
Instructions
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Remove the Rib Bones
Take the rib bones out of the pork belly, keeping the knife as close to the bones as possible to minimize waste.
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Dry the Skin
Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Use a meat tenderizer to create tiny holes all over the skin, avoiding pushing the spikes through to the layer of fat underneath.
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Score the Meat
Slice into the meat horizontally at regular intervals, about 2-3cm apart, and make a few shallow vertical cuts to ensure even cooking and better seasoning absorption.
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Dry the Pork Belly
Place the pork belly, skin side up and uncovered, in the fridge for 48 hours to dry out the skin for perfect, crispy crackling.
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Seasoning Note
You can season the pork belly before or after refrigerating, but keep any seasoning off the skin.
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Fuel Setup
Place the fuel basket divider in your Kamado Joe and fill one side with fuel. Ignite it, place a deflector plate over the empty side, and add your cooking grates on top.
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Create a Support
Create a support to lean the pork belly directly over the heat source at an angle. This helps fat and oil run down, reducing flare-ups and allowing you to monitor the crackling as it forms.
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Preheat
Close the lid and get the Kamado Joe running at 250°C.
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Initial Cook
Place the pork belly meat side down on the support and close the lid for 10 minutes to dry the skin further.
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Season the Skin
Brush olive oil over the skin and sprinkle with high-quality salt. Flip the belly so the skin is directly over the fuel, partially closing the lid, leaving a 2cm gap to monitor the crackling.
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Monitor and Rotate
Open the lid periodically to rotate the pork belly, preventing any areas from burning and achieving uniform crackling.
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Internal Temperature
Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 85°C. Reposition the support over the deflector plate for an indirect cook.
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Resting
Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes.
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Slicing
Flip the pork belly over and use a large sharp knife to make the cuts, keeping the crackling intact as much as possible.
Equipment
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Note
- Monitoring: Always monitor the crackling to avoid burning.
- Seasoning: Keeping seasoning off the skin ensures the crackling forms perfectly.
Enjoy your perfectly crispy and juicy pork belly, and don’t forget to check out Pitmaster University on YouTube for more BBQ inspiration!
