Smoked Beef Belly

Smoked low and slow, this beef belly delivers tender slices, crispy bark, and rich, beefy flavor in half the time of brisket.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Resting time 30

Total Time 7 45

Servings

Calories 747kcal

Author Rosalie Bradford

Equipment

Ingredients

4-5 lb beef belly
4 tbsp ultimate brisket rub might vary depending on the size of the meat

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
Trim off any hanging or hard pieces of fat from the beef belly.
Using our homemade brisket rub or your favorite beef rub, season the meat generously on all sides.
Place the beef belly in the top rack of your smoker, and place a grill-safe dish below to catch the drippings. Smoke at 225°F for six hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F.
Remove the meat from the smoker and increase the temperature to 275℉.
Place the beef belly on a piece of butcher paper and pour the rendered fat drippings over the top. Wrap it in the butcher paper and return it to the smoker.
Smoke at 275°F until the internal temperature reaches between 198°F and 200°F.
Remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Pellets - I used a blend with hickory, oak, and mesquite. A pellet blend works great because the mesquite and oak will give the beef belly a great smoke ring and bark; however, the hickory's slight sweetness will add an incredible flavor.

If using a traditional smoker, I recommend using charcoal to get a bed of coals going, then adding wood chunks to smoke the beef belly throughout the rest of the cook.

For a deeper smoke ring and more intense flavor, you can run it at a lower and slower temperature of 200°F for eight hours.

Wrapping the beef belly - It's essential to consider not only the internal temperature but also the appearance. You don't want to wrap a protein if it doesn't have a visible bark. Wrapping too soon will cause the bark to sweat off the protein, which will affect its overall BBQ flavor and appearance.

Braising - A crucial step, as it allows the fat to break down, resulting in a juicy and mouthwatering bite. I recommend not braising at temperatures above 325°F, as this may cause the beef belly to shrink and result in a tougher texture.

Nutrition