Smoked Pork Belly Lollipops

Pork belly already has a pretty unfair advantage when it comes to BBQ.

It’s rich, fatty, takes smoke beautifully, and gets even better once the outside starts developing that dark, sticky bark. Put it on a stick, glaze the whole thing in spicy BBQ sauce, and suddenly you’ve got pork belly that technically qualifies as finger food.

These Smoked Pork Belly Lollipops keep things simple. Thick pieces of pork belly get seasoned generously with Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub, smoked low and slow until tender, then dunked in warm Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce.

The result is smoky, tender pork with a sweet and spicy glaze and plenty of surface area for seasoning.

Why Cut the Pork Belly Bigger?

Instead of cutting the pork belly into small cubes like traditional burnt ends, we’re cutting it into roughly 2-inch by 4-inch pieces.

That gives you a substantial piece of meat that will stay securely on the skewer while still giving the outside plenty of time to build some bark.

You also get a much more appropriate meat-to-stick ratio.

Ingredients

• 1/2 slab pork belly
• Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub
• Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce
• Wooden skewers

Before You Start: Check the Skin

Take a look at the pork belly before you start cutting.

Some pork belly is sold with the skin already removed. Some isn’t.

If yours still has the skin attached, remove it before seasoning and smoking. The skin won’t render the way we want during this cook and can make the finished lollipops tough to eat.

Once the skin is removed, trim away any loose or scraggly pieces and you’re ready to start cutting.

Cut the Pork Belly

Cut the pork belly into pieces approximately 2 inches wide by 4 inches long.

Don’t worry about making every piece mathematically identical.

You just want the pieces reasonably consistent so they cook at roughly the same rate.

Season the Pork Belly

Season every side generously with Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub.

Pork belly can handle a good amount of seasoning, so don’t just wave the bottle over it and call it good. Get an even coating across the meat and fat.

Let the seasoning sit while you get the smoker ready.

Fire Up the Smoker

Preheat your smoker to 250°F.

Place the pork belly lollipops directly on the smoker grates, leaving a little space between each one so the smoke and heat can circulate.

Smoke until the pork belly becomes deeply browned and tender.

You’re looking for an internal temperature around 200°F, but temperature is only part of the equation. Pork belly should feel soft and tender when probed.

Depending on the thickness of your pieces and your smoker, expect the cook to take roughly 3 to 4 hours.

Warm the BBQ Sauce

Near the end of the cook, pour Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce into a small saucepan.

Warm it over low heat until the sauce is hot and slightly loosened. There’s no need to aggressively boil it.

Transfer the warm sauce into a tall container or cup deep enough to dunk most of the pork belly into.

This is where the lollipop format starts earning its keep.

Dunk the Pork Belly

Once the pork belly is tender, remove the lollipops from the smoker.

Insert a wooden skewer through each piece of pork belly, leaving enough exposed at one end to comfortably hold onto.

Holding each one by the skewer, dunk the pork belly directly into the warm Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce until completely coated.

Let the excess sauce drip back into the container, then place the lollipops back on the smoker long enough for the sauce to tack up (about 15 minutes). 

Remove from the smoker and let cool enough that you don't remove the roof of your mouth. 

Then it's time to enjoy. 

Smoked Pork Belly Lollipops Recipe

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

3–4 hours

Smoker Temperature

250°F

Ingredients

• 1/2 slab pork belly, skin removed if necessary
• Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub, as needed
• Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce, enough for dipping
• Wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Inspect the pork belly and remove the skin if it is still attached. Trim away any loose or uneven pieces.
2. Cut the pork belly into pieces approximately 2 inches wide by 4 inches long.
3. Season all sides generously with Rub Yer Meat BBQ Rub.
4. Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
5. Place the pork belly pieces directly on the smoker grates, leaving a little space between each piece for airflow.
6. Smoke for approximately 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork reaches around 200°F internally and feels tender when probed.
7. Near the end of the cook, warm the Meat Mitch Stay Hot BBQ Sauce in a saucepan over low heat.
8. Pour the warm sauce into a tall container deep enough to dip the pork belly pieces.
9. Remove the pork belly from the smoker and carefully insert a wooden skewer securely into each piece to create the lollipops.
10. Holding each lollipop by the skewer, dunk the pork belly into the warm BBQ sauce until completely coated.
11. Return the glazed lollipops to the smoker for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce has tacked up.
12. Serve hot and prepare to have absolutely no leftovers.

Final Thoughts

These are somewhere between pork belly burnt ends and BBQ on a stick, which is a pretty comfortable place to be.

The larger pieces stay juicy while the outside picks up smoke and plenty of Rub Yer Meat flavor. Then that final dunk in Meat Mitch Stay Hot brings the sweet heat and turns the whole thing into one sticky, smoky handful of pork.

Serve them as an appetizer, put them out during the game, or make a tray the next time everybody is hanging around the smoker.

Just make more than you think you need.

Pork belly on a stick has a way of disappearing.