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Take your pork belly from delicious to showstopping with my 4-ingredient Pork Belly Rub Recipe! It's ready in seconds and will bring out a whole new world of flavor the next time pork belly is on the menu. Try it for pork belly BBQ once, and you'll serve it with this rub every time!
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Pork Belly Seasoning
When I'm cooking up pork belly, I want to make it a dish to remember! Something sweet, spicy, tangy, and perfect for crisping up into a delectable sticky coating. Something that brings out all that savory pork flavor and adds to that incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth chew.
Luckily, I know just the recipe. This spicy and flavorful pork belly BBQ rub has everything! Paprika, crunchy sea salt and zesty pepper form the perfect crust, and a slathering of sweet and spicy BBQ basted over the pork as it cooks acts like a sticky glaze.
And the best part is? You probably have all the ingredients! Whether you use homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite bottled sauce from the store, this delicious rub is quick, easy, and totally customizable. Try it for burnt ends, pork belly slices, and more!
Pork Belly Marinade Ingredients
- BBQ Sauce (homemade or store bought)
- Paprika
- Sea salt
- Pepper
Homemade BBQ Sauce Ingredients
- Brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Apple cider vinegar
- Water
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Minced garlic
- Minced onion
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne
How to Season Pork Belly
- If using homemade BBQ, combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a small dish, combine the paprika, sea salt, and pepper, and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle the dry rub over the pork belly, tossing well to coat completely.
- If roasting, pour the BBQ over the pork belly before placing in the oven or smoker, or add later as a glaze!
- Serve finished pork belly with extra BBQ and enjoy!
Seasoning Pork Belly Tips
- While I love making my own homemade BBQ, store-bought is delicious too! You can use your favorite brand. I like smoky whiskey barbecue sauce!
- Not a fan of BBQ, or using a different sauce? The dry rub is delicious all on its own. Use it for pork belly or any of your favorite pork recipes on the grill or in the oven!
- This is a perfect recipe for customizing to your tastes! I prefer to add sauce to my pork belly, but feel free to add some of the BBQ seasonings into the dry rub itself, like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and chili powder.
Rub for Pork Belly FAQ
Pork can be cooked directly after adding dry rub; the seasonings will soak into the meat as it softens, flavoring the meat and adding a nice crunchy crust to the outside! You can also add dry rub early and let it sit, which can enhance the flavor.
Pork belly is a high-fat cut that contains a layer of thick fat and skin, followed by ultra-soft meat. This cut is particularly popular in barbecue and Asian cuisine, which emphasizes the softness of the fat. I love using pork belly for burnt ends, which are small slices of pork belly cooked until crispy and melt-in-your-mouth soft!
If you're not planning on serving pork belly with sauce, then letting the rub sit overnight is ideal! This lets the seasonings really soak into the meat and will lead to the best results. If you're intending to add BBQ or any other sauce to the meat, however, it won't be necessary to let the rub sit that long.
My Favorite Pork Belly Recipes
- Pork Belly Burnt Ends: Smoked pork belly burnt ends are known as "meat candy" for a reason! These tender bite-size pork belly slices are melt-in-your-mouth soft and full of sweet, smoky, tangy flavor. It's a must-try!
- Roasted Pork Belly Slices: My roast pork belly recipe uses 5-spice and soy sauce, but try it with this rub and BBQ sauce instead for a tangy, spicy barbecue twist!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Try more of my best pork recipes, and leave a comment and rating below! We love to hear from you.
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Pork Belly Rub
Ingredients
- 1 cup BBQ sauce homemade or bottled
- 3 Tablespoons Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Coarse sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons Black pepper freshly cracked
Homemade BBQ Sauce
- 1½ cup Brown sugar
- 1½ cups Ketchup
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ Tablespoons Chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Minced onion
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1½ teaspoons Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne
Instructions
- If using homemade BBQ, combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly remove from the heat and let cool.1½ cup Brown sugar, 1½ cups Ketchup, ½ cup Apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1½ Tablespoons Chili powder, 2 teaspoons Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon Minced onion, 2 teaspoons Salt, ½ teaspoon Cayenne, 1½ teaspoons Pepper
- In a small dish, combine the paprika, sea salt, and pepper, and mix to combine.3 Tablespoons Paprika, 2 Tablespoons Coarse sea salt, 2 Tablespoons Black pepper
- Sprinkle the dry rub over the pork belly, tossing well to coat completely.
- If roasting, pour the BBQ over the pork belly before placing in the oven, or add later as a glaze!1 cup BBQ sauce
- Serve with extra BBQ for dipping, and enjoy!
Notes
- While I love making my own homemade BBQ, store-bought is delicious too! You can use your favorite brand. I like smokey whiskey barbecue sauce!
- Not a fan of BBQ, or using a different sauce? The dry rub is delicious all on its own.
- This is a perfect recipe for customizing to your tastes! I prefer to add sauce to my pork belly, but feel free to add some of the BBQ seasonings into the dry rub itself, like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and chili powder.
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