Ever wondered how to smoke pork belly? This is one of the easiest smoked pork belly recipes that you will come across.
You'll end up with melt in your mouth juicy pork, accompanied with easy apple fennel slaw. This is all wrapped up in super quick to make BBQ flatbread. The hardest part of this recipe is the slaw, and that isn't hard at all!
If you think you are experiencing a mild case of déjà vu, let me reassure you, you're not. This recipe and accompanying video were created a while ago for a cooking competition I was involved with.
The apron I'm wearing states I'm a Kitchen Star, but I don't think I am. They made me wear it, but hey, it has my name on it. Sadly I didn't win, but I do think this is a winning recipe.
Besides the BBQ smoked pork belly, there are a couple of other elements for this recipe. While the pork belly looks after itself on the bbq they are easy to whip up.
The rosemary flatbread cooks on the bbq within a matter of minutes while the pork belly rests. The apple and fennel slaw, and the walnut crumble, can be made earlier in the day or while the pork cooks. All in all it is a rather fuss-free and scrumptious meal.
How to smoke pork belly easily!
Fancy smokers need not apply for this recipe. Though, of course, you could use one.
I do own a smoker, which I love and it gets a lot of use. For this recipe, I always use the BBQ. Your BBQ will need a lid and the ability to be turned down to a low heat.
The smoke comes from the woody branches of rosemary which are placed in a smoker box. This may sound crazy but I freeze the woody branches of my rosemary when I prune it. These then get used for smoking on the BBQ.
If you don’t grow your own rosemary have a chat with your greengrocer. You may find that he has some heading to the bin as generally, these thicker woody pieces are of no use to him.
Juicy Pork Belly Takes Time
You will need to start the smoked BBQ pork belly the day before. There is no effort involved at all. You will need to marinate it overnight in the fridge. Leaving the pork belly to draw in all the lovely flavours.
Which brings me to the lip-smacking marinade. A BBQ sauce based marinade that has the addition of fresh orange juice, soy sauce, and much more. The beauty of this marinade is the simplicity, the ingredients simply need to be whizzed in a blender.
Apple and Fennel Slaw
With the use of a mandoline, the apple and fennel are thinly sliced in no time. The slaw can be prepared earlier in the day and kept in the fridge until needed.
My Secret Sprinkle
A three ingredient sprinkle, or I suppose you could call it a condiment. Only three ingredients, walnuts, golden raisins and green onion. Simple but it adds a flavour and textural crunch to the smoked pork belly.
3 Ingredient BBQ Flatbread
The flatbread couldn't be simpler to make. Only three ingredients, flour, yoghurt and rosemary.
Make the dough while the pork is cooking and let it rest. Roll into balls, flatten and then cook these on the hot plate of the BBQ while the pork belly is resting.
If you don’t feel like making bread, why not purchase some flatbread from the store? Warm them up in the oven when you are ready to serve the BBQ smoked pork belly.
There is one last very important thing you need to know. The smoked BBQ pork belly smells amazing when it is cooking! Your neighbours are going to go insane with food envy.
Sara xxx
Other BBQ Recipes!
Rainbow Trout Wrapped in Prosciutto - tasty can't get any easier!
Australian BBQ Prawns - the ultimate shrimp on the barbie
Beer Can Burgers - so much tasty fun (oven baked or bbq)
Quinoa Tabouli Salad - a whole lot of healthy on the side
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Printable Recipe
Smoked BBQ Pork Belly, Apple Fennel Slaw & Easy Flat Breads
Ingredients
BBQ Smoked Pork Belly
- 1.5 kg pork belly skin and bones removed, get your butcher to do this.
- 1 brown onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 55 grams (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 190 ml (¾ cup) fresh orange juice
- 250 ml (1 cup) smoky BBQ sauce
- 60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
- 3 grams (½ teaspoon) black pepper freshly ground
- rosemary thick woody stalks
Apple Fennel Slaw
- 2 granny smith apples finely sliced
- 2 fennel bulbs (small) finely sliced
- 250 ml (1 cup) Japanese mayonnaise
- 40 ml (2 tablespoons) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon parsley (flat leaf) finely chopped
Easy BBQ Flatbreads
- 260 grams (1 ¾ cups) self raising flour
- 500 grams Greek yoghurt (full fat)
- 1 tablespoon rosemary finely chopped
- extra self raising flour for dusting
Walnut & Raisin Crumble
- 100 grams (1 cup) walnuts toasted and finely chopped
- 90 grams (½ cup)golden raisins finely chopped
- 1 green onion ((scallions) finely chopped
Instructions
BBQ Smoked Pork Belly
- Lightly score pork belly on both sides.
- Place onion, garlic, brown sugar, orange juice, BBQ sauce, soy sauce and black pepper in a blender. Blend to create a marinade.
- Place pork belly in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with marinade. Make sure the belly is well coated and marinade is massaged into the score marks. Cover with foil and leave to marinate in the fridge over night
- When ready to cook, remove pork from marinade and reserve marinade for basting.
- Heat BBQ to high and sear both sides of the pork belly.
- Remove pork belly from heat and prepare the BBQ for indirect slow cooking and smoking. Place a large aluminium foil baking tray with holes punched in it and a baking rack in the middle of the BBQ. Fill smoker boxes with rosemary and place on BBQ.
- Make sure central burners are turned off and BBQ is set to lowest heat.
- Place pork belly on trivet, close lid and leave to cook.
- Every 45 minutes turn pork belly over and baste. Replace rosemary if needed when basting. Cook for 2.5 hours.
- Rest pork belly for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with Apple Fennel Slaw, Easy BBQ Flat Breads and Walnut Raisin Crumble.
Apple Fennel Slaw
- In a large mixing bowl add mayonnaise, lemon juice and parsley and mix well. Add apple and fennel, toss through slaw dressing. Cover and place in fridge until needed.
Easy BBQ Flatbreads
- Place 1 ¾ cups of flour and yoghurt in a large mixing bowl. Mix until moist dough is formed. If the dough is too wet to handle add a little extra flour.
- Dust surface of clean kitchen bench with self raising flour. Place dough on kitchen counter and knead until dough is smooth.
- Divide dough into six portions and roll into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
- Press or roll out dough on a floured surface until it is 1cm thick. Place each piece of flattened dough on a piece of baking paper to prevent them sticking together.
- Brush hot BBQ flat plate with a little oil and place flattened dough on to cook.
- Turn bread in 2-3 minutes when bread has puffed and underside is golden. Continue cooking until other side is also golden
Walnut & Raisin Crumble
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Oven Temperatures
All oven temperatures are fan forced.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
Take your marinading pork out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before putting it on the bbq. The pork belly wont stress going straight from cold to hot.
You will need a BBQ where the central burners can be turned off for indirect cooking. Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2.5 hours
Serving size: 8 Apple Fennel Slaw Use a mandolin to create even thin slices of apple and fennel Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serving size: 4 Easy BBQ Flatbreads Preparation time: 5 minutes
Resting time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serving size: 6 pieces
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
Lainie Souter
Hi Sara,
In your recipe you have the instruction for the pork belly (sing and bones removed, get your butcher to do this) . What is 'sing' or is this a typo? Can't wait to try this recipe.
Sara
Hi Lainie,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, talk about a typo! I have fixed it in the post, but it should read "skin" not "sing"
Cheers Sara
Alexa
I will surely do this at home. Your smoked bbq pork belly recipe brings color to my plate. Anyhow, looking forward to more of this. Thanks for sharing.
Lisa
Yum. I could eat this now. Thanks for the recipe.
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