This Smoked Beef Belly Will Make Your Mouth Water!
Beefy, Smoky, Barky Beef Belly
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Introduction
Dry-Aged Beef Belly on the Kamado
What's up BBQ fans! Today I'm making something I've never made before, and it blew me away: smoked beef belly on the Komodo Kamado Big Bad 32. It's beefy, smoky, barky and absolutely delicious.
To be honest, this is my second try. I scrapped the first video because I smoked it too low and the fat didn't render enough. So this time we're cooking a little hotter and finishing with a long rest, like a brisket.
The Beef Belly
This one is a dry-aged beef belly from Porter Road, with a layer of fat on top and a ton of marbling.
Light trim only. Like pork belly, it has a few rough spots on the surface. Trim those off, keeping your knife parallel to the board so you don't take big divots, and leave the rest alone.
Binder: I don't use a binder very often, but this was pretty dry, and I love beef with W sauce. It helps the rub stick.
Rub: Yoder beef rub. It's a little coarse for texture, with garlic, paprika, onion, sugar, brown sugar, dried honey and red bell pepper. You could do salt and pepper, but I wanted to change it up. The sugar makes the bark darker.
I buy Yoder, Meat Church and Cattleman's Grill rubs at All Things BBQ (use code: RUMANDCOOK11 to save 11%). It's the start of BBQ season, so that's a good way to stock up.
Let the rub sweat in while the kamado comes up to temp.
The Setup
Fuel: Komodo Kamado coffee wood lump, which is super tasty on beef.
Wood: Bear Mountain Cherry. Cherry and beef go together really well, and it adds a little sweetness. I forgot to put wood under the lump, so I had to move the lump, add a few pieces at the bottom and restack. I added a couple more pieces on top.
Lit with the GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%).
Temp: 275°F dome, about 250°F at the grate.
Half grate in place for direct access to the fire, with the belly off to the left side.
The Cook
Let the smoke roll for a couple of hours before touching it.
Something came up, so I pushed it to about 300°F for the last hour.
At about 5 hours, it hit 185°F. Time to wrap.
Wrap and Rest
Wrap tight in butcher paper. It keeps the bark but softens it a little, though not as much as foil.
Back on the kamado until probe tender, like warm peanut butter, somewhere around 203°F to 207°F.
Then hold it at 150°F in a warming oven for a long rest.
What went wrong: it was just shy of 200°F when the dogs wanted their Saturday walk. The walk ran long, and when I got back it was at 211°F. I figured it would fall apart, so I planned to make shredded beef sandwiches instead. You can't let that ruin your day.
Pro tip: save the tallow-soaked butcher paper. It's a great fire starter for an offset or fire pit.
Taste Test
After 18 hours at 150°F, it held together better than I expected. It was super moist and tender, with a crunchy edge. The flavor is very beefy and rich, because there's a lot of fat to render.
That fat layer in the middle looked about an inch thick when it expanded, and I was worried about it. Going a little hotter and resting it 18 hours rendered it down beautifully. I'm calling that a definite win. I didn't need the backup plan after all.
Final Thoughts
If you've never tried beef belly, give it a shot. Cook it at 250°F or hotter so the fat renders, wrap it at about 185°F, finish it probe tender and give it a long hot hold. It's rich, so you won't eat a ton of it, but it's a nice change that your guests are going to love.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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