Smoked Pork Belly is one my favorite cuts of pork to smoke because of the delicious smoky flavor. The pork belly smokes tender and juicy with simple ingredients.

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If you have tried our Smoked Brisket, Smoked Chicken Thighs, Smoked Ham Steak, Smoked Bologna or Poor Man’s Beef Burnt Ends then you are going to love this smoked pork belly. Making smoked recipes is perfect for any occasion.
If you are new to using your smoker, make sure to check out these Smoker Recipes for Beginners.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Smoked pork belly taste amazing with the homemade dry rub seasoning blend and the Homemade BBQ Sauce. The pork is tender and loaded with natural juices.
We love making this ahead of time and enjoy it all week or when we are feeding a crowd.
Ingredients

- Pork Belly – Remove Skin before smoking
- Brown Sugar – Learn How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
- Smoked Paprika – You can also use regular paprika
- Garlic Powder – If you are out, check out these Garlic Powder Substitutes
- BBQ Sauce – You can make the Homemade BBQ Sauce or use Jar BBQ Sauce
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
How to Make Smoked Pork Belly

Step 1 – In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, kosher salt, and cumin to create the homemade seasoning rub.

Step 2 – Rub the yellow mustard all over the pork belly, then generously apply the homemade seasoning rub, pressing it into the meat. Cover the pork belly and refrigerate overnight.
- Step 3 – Preheat the smoker to 225°F. Remove the pork belly from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Step 4 – Place the pork belly in the smoker on the grill grate and smoke for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195-200°F. The meat should be tender and easily pull apart.

Step 5 – While the pork belly is smoking, prepare the homemade BBQ sauce. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until the flavors have blended together. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 6 – Once the pork belly reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Rest on a cutting board or a wire rack.
- Step 7 – Slice the smoked pork belly into 1/2-inch thick pieces with a very sharp knife. Serve with the homemade BBQ sauce on the side.
Expert Tips
- Prepare Pork Belly – Removing the skin from the pork belly allows the seasoning rub to penetrate the meat more effectively. If you prefer to keep the skin on, score it with a sharp knife to help the rub adhere better.
- Simmer Sauce – If you prefer a thicker BBQ sauce, you can simmer it for a bit longer to reduce and thicken it further.
- Marinating Pork Belly – After applying the dry rub and mustard mixture marinate the pork belly overnight for the best flavor.
- Meat Thermometer – To ensure that the pork belly is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp.

Serving Suggestions
Smoked pork belly can be served with many different side dish recipes. We love to smoke our side dishes for an easy clean up. We recommend Smoked Baked Potatoes and Smoked Asparagus for a complete meal idea.
You can also top the pork belly with barbecue sauce and serve with Smoked Potato Salad. You can even dice up the pork belly and make pork belly burnt ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pork belly. But we smoked ours for about 6 hours at the temperature of 225 degrees.
One of the main reason pork belly gets tough is because of cooking to long or at an high temperature. Make sure to cook it until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. This result in a tender cut of meat every time.
You can use any wood chips that you prefer. We recommend cherry wood for smoking pork belly but other suggestions are hickory, pecan, maple or apple wood chips. You can also combine wood chips for even more flavor.
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Storing – Store the leftover pork belly in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We like to go ahead and slice the pork so it is easy to reheat and divide the meat into individual servings.
- Freezing – This pork belly freezes great in a freezer safe container. Slice the pork belly and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Then store in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to serve.
- Reheating – For best results, we think it is best to reheat in the oven in a baking dish. But you can reheat in the microwave.

More Smoked Pork Recipes
If you make this Smoked Pork Belly Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love to hear from you.

Smoked Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs pound pork belly, skin removed
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
Homemade Seasoning Rub:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Homemade BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, kosher salt, and cumin to create the homemade seasoning rub.
- Rub the yellow mustard all over the pork belly, then generously apply the homemade seasoning rub, pressing it into the meat. Cover the pork belly and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F. Remove the pork belly from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Place the pork belly in the smoker and smoke for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195-200°F. The meat should be tender and easily pull apart.
- While the pork belly is smoking, prepare the homemade BBQ sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have blended together. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once the pork belly reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Slice the smoked pork belly into 1/2-inch thick pieces and serve with the homemade BBQ sauce on the side.
This pork belly turned out with amazing flavor!