The best two bits of BBQ I've ever made. Pork belly two ways.
I've done pretty much every protein there is numerous times but pork belly only one other time and it was just ok the first time. Made some adjustments this time (I didn't cube raw was the main adjustment) and it was literally probably the best two bites of BBQ I've ever had.
Started with a 9lbs pork belly from Costco and quartered it. I seasoned two with Meat Church Holy Cow and The Gospel (as seen in the Meat Church BBQ YouTube video Bacon Brisket) and the other two with Meat Church- Holy Voodoo and Honey Hog.
Fired up the Yoder YS640 and got the temp to 200 and lit the smoke tube. I use CookinPellets competition blend.
I ran these at 200 meat side up for one hour before flipping them fat side up and bumping the temp to 250. (The 200 temp for an hour meat side up I saw in a Mad Scientist BBQ video and I tend to always start my cooks off at a low temperature to try and build as much smoke flavor as I can on the pellet smoker. But I've never tried starting meat side up. Not really sure it did anything but whatever.) I rotated and spritzed with a apple cider vinegar/water mix as needed every 1-1.5 hours and after six hours total cook time all four probed like room temperature butter. The first time I think one issue I had was pulling the pork belly off early so I figured I'd error on the side over cooking a bit longer.
The Brisket rubbed ones I simply rested, the Burnt end style with the Honey Hog/Voodoo ones I let rest then cubed and gave a light saucing in an aluminum tray with a KC style BBQ sauce a make mixed with an ultra hot BBQ sauce I bought from a local BBQ purveyor that makes his own sauces. His sauces have amazing flavor but his spiciest recipe is so hot I can't use it on anything by itself. Cubed belly in the tray went back on the smoker at 350 for 15 mins or so to tack up the sauce. Sliced the other two like a brisket flat and then took both trays to the neighbor's for our July 4th potluck.
Both styles turned out epic, the brisket ones dominated by pepper and salt flavor, the burnt end style we sweet with a creepy heat that shined through on the back end. I now have a go to cook for when I want something relatively easy that's a same day cook. God I hope I can repeat it.