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About This Grilled Pork Belly Recipe
Pork belly takes a good amount of time to cook because it has to render its fat and become tender. You cannot rush this cut. You cannot go to crispy crust and tender meat in an instant.
Patience and low temperature is as much of an ingredient to any pork belly recipe as are all other possible ingredients for a marinade, rub, braising liquid and so on.
Our grilled pork belly method is guranteed to deliver melt-in-your-mouth meat along with a crispy finish. If you start with a good cut of pork belly and follow the instructions you will end up with supremely tender meat and a crispy outside that will reward you with the best expression of the cut's naturally rich flavor.
How Long Do You Grill Pork Belly?
The time it takes to grill pork belly depends on the nature of your cut and its size. If you are grilling a five pound slab it will take longer. If you are grilling thick pork belly strips the time required will logically be less.
You need to understand, honor and respect the cut to grill pork belly for ultimate results.
NOTE: The secret to cooking pok belly successfully is twofold. First, begin with a cut that has a balanced ratio of meat to fat. Second, cook it low and slow so it can render its fat which will lubricate the meat and saturate it with flavor. This applies to grilling pork belly one hundred percent. You can then, if you want, finish it over high heat to impart even more flavor.
Is It Better to Boil Pork Belly Before Grilling?
If you were to boil pork belly before grilling you would be reaching for tenderizing the meat and rendering the fat in boiling water. This method is used commonly in Russia and parts of Europe, especially Eastern Europe.
It works similarly to braising pork belly just before searing it or slow cooking pork belly in the oven.
However, a lot of the natural pork flavor is lost during boiling - it seeps into the water. We recommend that you grill pork belly as outlined below.
Ingredients
For this grilled pork belly recipe you will need:
Pork belly slab. It will need to be skinless, with a good fat to meat ratio. If yours has the skin on, you can simply remove it as shown in the step-by-step pictures below. If you have thick pork belly strips, you can proceed with the recipe but should expect a shorter cooking time.
Dry rub. You can use whatever combination of spices in addition to kosher salt and black pepper as you wish. We keep it simple and add only garlic powder.
How to Grill Pork Belly Step-by-Step
For pork belly on the grill divide your work into three stages. The last stage is completely optional, but you will be able to immediately appreciate its benefits and our guess is that you will go through with it.
Stage 1 - Steps to Prepare the Pork Belly
If needed remove the skin with a sharp knife by starting at one corner of the slab and making shallow, measured horizontal cuts (as shown below) while gently pulling it away from the slab.
Next, trim any excess fat and then if needed cut the slab into two halves for faster and more convenient grilling.
Score both the fatty top side and the meatier bottom side in a diamond pattern as shown below, going about ⅛ inch in depth, not more.
Finally, season both the top and bottom sides and allow the pork belly to come to room temperature.
NOTE: It is essential to allow the pork belly to reach room temperature. Do not start with very cold meat as it will take considerably longer for it to cook through on the grill.
Stage 2 - Steps to Grill the Pork Belly
Set up your charcoal or gas grill for two-zone cooking, meaning that the radiant heat of the charcoals or one strong lit burner creates a hot heat zone and right next to it is a zone with indirect heat which offers lower temperature grilling (see pictures below).
Place the pork belly over the indirect heat zone so that it can cook low and slow and render its fat. Use a meat thermometer as shown below to monitor the internal temperature once the lid of the grill is closed.
Grill the pork belly until the internal temperature enters the 170-180 F range. We prefer the top of the range.
Remove the belly and allow it to rest onto a cutting board before you slice it.
NOTE: Our method of grilling pork belly is conceptually similar to smoking pork belly in that the majority of the cooking happens over indirect low heat over a prolonged time.
Stage 3 - Finish the Sliced Pork Belly
Once you slice the fully cooked pork belly you have the option to finish each individual slice over the high heat of the grill. The additional flavor created during the process goes a long way enjoyment wise.
Simply place the slices near each other as shown over the direct heat source and flip them as soon as they brown on the bottom. Remember, the pork belly is already cooked and will get crispy in mere seconds.
TIP: If you plan on finishing strips of pork belly on the grill as shown above it is advisable to cut them around ½ inch thick.
How to Enjoy Grilled Pork Belly
The fattiness and rich porky flavor of each charred slice pairs very well with fresh sauces as well as sweetish sauces. To that end, we are excited to recommend that you serve the delicious grilled pork belly slices accompanied by one of the following:
Ginger scallion sauce - perfectly fresh, simple to make and with a pronounced 'wow' factor, especially when a person tries it for the first time. Recipe here.
Chimichurri sauce - use the chimichurri recipe for this Choripan street food sandwich.
Brazilian molho campeiro salsa - use the recipe for it in the recipe card of this Picanha roast.
Pineapple salsa - simply delightfull alongside the pork belly. Recipe here.
Hoisin sauce - either just store-bought hoisin or if you feel like a richer concoction, follow the hoisin sauce recipe from our Smoked Pork Belly. We add soy sauce, rice vinegar and more.
Barbecue sauce - your favorite one, we especially enjoy Carolina barbacue sauces with pork belly strips fresh off the grill.
Alternatively, incorporate the grilled slices into well-known dishes, as per these ideas.
Pork belly ramen bowls - read this post to learn how to prepare the traditional Japanese toppings.
Pork belly rice bowls - jasmine rice or long grain rice simply steamed or boiled and topped with fresh ingredients such as cucumber, green onions, lettuce, avocado, radishes, cabbage, carrots, pan-fried broccolini etc.
Pork belly barbecue spread - simply incorporate the grilled belly of pork into the barbecue spread of your choice.. corn on the cob, red potatoes, coleslaw, cornbread or butter swim biscuits...
Pork belly tacos - self-explanatory, add your favorite toppings and also consider lightly charring the tortillas on the grill.
Pork belly sandwich - check out our two most favorite ideas for pork belly sandwiches, highlighting the virtues of the delicious grilled pork belly strips. We even make the bread irresistible by briefly passing it through the hot grates of the grill, alongside the pork belly.
Store and Reheat
Grilling pork belly rarely results in leftovers but if you have a certain quantity left after you and yours already feasted you can store it for a few days. Place it in an airtight container and keep it refrigerated.
To reheat the grilled belly once you take it out of the refrigerator - DO NOT use the microwave. Instead, wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven at 350 F for a few minutes, depending on the quantity could be 5 to 10-15 mins.
Alternatively, you can easily reheat slices in a pan over medium heat.
Recipe
Grilled Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork belly slab skinlesss*
- 2 tablespoon dry rub**
Instructions
- Prepare the pork belly for grilling. Trim any excess fat on top and sides and if you'd like - cut the slab into two roughly 1.5 lb each smaller slabs. This will speed up the grilling process.
- With a sharp knife score the top and bottom of the pork belly in a diamond pattern. Then apply the dry rub, mostly on top but also on the bottom and sides. Allow the pork belly to come to room temperature on the counter while you prepare the grill.
- Set up a charcoal or gas grill for two-zone grilling (see notes below). Place the seasoned pork belly slab(s) directly onto the grates, in the indirect heat zone. Insert the meat probe of a smoking thermometer (wired or wireless) into the center of the pork belly and close the lid of the grill.
- Grill for about 1 ½ to 2 hours or until such time that the internal temperature is well into the 170-180 F range. Time can vary. Also visually inspect the pork belly to determine if it is cooking to your liking - should be a slow process with fat gradually rendering and temperature slowly climbing.
- When the internal temperature is near or at 180 F remove the pork belly and rest it for a few minutes. Cut it into ½ inch slices. If desired, quickly sear each slice on both sides over the direct heat of the grill. Serve while still hot.
Kris
Outstanding results using this recipe. I grilled two 3 pound slabs following the instructions exactly and the meat was exceptionally tender. The slice sear at the end brings so much flavor. Thanks!