Korean Style Pork Belly - Smokin' Joe's Pit BBQ

Ingredients

• 3 lb Pork Belly (trimmed, cut into 1‑inch cubes)
• 2 tbsp Notorious Pig from Pia Seasoning (store‑bought pork rub)
• 1 tsp Salt (optional, for seasoning)
• 1 tsp Black Pepper (ground)
• 1 cup Soy Sauce (low sodium preferred)
• 2 cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger (minced)
• 12 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil (toasted)
• 5 tbsp Honey (liquid)
• 1 tbsp Black Pepper (freshly ground for sauce)
• 2 tsp Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 4 tsp Cornstarch (for thickening)
• 2 tbsp Water (for slurry)
• 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds (to garnish)
• 2 tbsp Green Onions (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Select and Prepare Pork Belly

   Choose a flexible pork belly about 7‑8 lb, trim excess skin, and pat the surface dry.

   Time: PT10M

2. Cut Pork Belly

   Slice the belly lengthwise, then cut into uniform 1‑inch cubes.

   Time: PT10M

3. Season Pork Belly

   Generously coat the cubes with Notorious Pig from Pia seasoning, add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat evenly.

   Time: PT5M

4. Preheat Smoker

   Load the Lone Star pellet smoker with pecan shell pellets, set to 275 °F, and allow it to preheat.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 275°F

5. First Smoke

   Arrange seasoned pork belly cubes on the smoker rack with the fat caps up and smoke for 2 hours.

   Time: PT2H

   Temperature: 275°F

6. Make Korean BBQ Sauce

   In a saucepan combine soy sauce, dark brown sugar, minced ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, honey, black pepper, and gochujang. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium heat

7. Thicken Sauce

   Mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry, whisk into the boiling sauce, and cook until glossy and thickened.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

8. Second Smoke

   After the first smoke, remove the pork belly, cut any larger pieces into 1‑inch cubes if needed, and return to the smoker for another 2 hours at 275 °F.

   Time: PT2H

   Temperature: 275°F

9. Coat with Sauce

   Transfer the smoked cubes to an aluminum pan, pour the prepared Korean BBQ sauce over them, and toss until every piece is fully coated.

   Time: PT5M

10. Final Glaze Smoke

    Place the sauced pork belly back in the smoker for 30 minutes at 275 °F to set the glaze.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 275°F

11. Slice Remaining Pork Belly

    Remove any whole pork belly piece, let it rest briefly, then slice thinly against the grain.

    Time: PT5M

12. Plate and Garnish

    Arrange burnt‑end cubes and sliced pork on a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, and serve warm.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1875

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

119 g

Fat

272 g

Fiber

0 g