Tony Ramirez
Steps
- Poke holes across the pork belly skin using a meat tenderizer, then score a crosshatch pattern into the meat side.
- Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, garlic paste, lemongrass paste, vinegar, and W Sauce. Coat the meat side of the pork belly with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Place the pork belly skin-side up on a wire rack and cover the skin with a thick, even layer of kosher salt.
- Preheat your pellet smoker to 275–300°F using Bear Mountain Apple Pellets. Smoke the pork belly until the meat reaches 190–200°F and is probe tender, about 4–6 hours.
- While the pork cooks, combine the garlic, shallot, jalapeño, habanero, fish sauce, vinegar, hot honey, salt, and pepper to make the Sawsawan dipping sauce.
- Remove the pork belly from the smoker and carefully scrape the salt off the skin. Brush the skin lightly with vinegar.
- Place the pork belly under a hot broiler and watch it closely as the skin crisps and bubbles. Rotate as needed for even browning, removing it once the skin is deeply crisp and lightly charred.
- Let the pork belly rest briefly, then slice and serve with the spicy Sawsawan dipping sauce.
Ingredients:
Pork Belly
- 2–3 lb pork belly, skin on
- 1 TBSP kosher salt
- 1 TBSP coarse black pepper
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 1 TBSP garlic paste
- 1 TBSP lemongrass paste
- 2 TBSP cane vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP Bear & Burton's W Sauce
- Kosher salt, for the skin
- Vinegar, for finishing
Spicy Sawsawan
- 1 whole garlic bulb, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 1 habanero, minced
- 2 TBSP fish sauce
- 1 cup cane vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 TBSP hot honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
watch recipe video
