Peanut Butter Pork Belly Pinwheels That'll Make You Question Your Life Choices
This is our Peanut Butter Collaboration with Jim of Jim’s Kitsch Kitchen. We are making Peanut Butter Pork Belly Pinwheels while Jim is making Peanut Butter and Jelly Pulled Pork. Give his episode a look!
We have all seen plenty of videos where someone takes thin strips of pork loin, coils them into the shape of a cinnamon roll, then smokes them and lathers on some BBQ sauce. For this dish, I incorporated some puff pastry into the mix and some delicious Peanut Satay sauce.
Things to know:
How long do you smoke pork belly for?
Smoking pork belly typically takes 4 to 7 hours at 225-250°F, aiming for an internal temperature of 195-200°F for pull-apart texture or around 180°F for sliceable cuts, with variations for burnt ends or faster cooks. For a tender, brisket-style result, many smoke low until 160°F, then increase heat to 300°F to finish until tender.
Should I smoke pork belly fat up or down?
To get the most benefit, position the fat side toward the heat. This helps protect the meat and promotes even cooking.
What are common mistakes when cooking pork belly?
Common mistakes when cooking pork belly include cooking it too fast at high heat (leading to tough meat), not cooking it long enough (also tough), failing to dry the skin properly (no crisp crackling), and not resting it, all resulting in chewy meat or burnt/soggy skin; the key is low and slow cooking to render fat, followed by a quick high-heat blast for crispy skin.
Does pork belly get tender the longer you cook it?
Yes, pork belly gets significantly softer and more tender the longer you cook it at a low temperature because the connective tissues (collagen) break down into gelatin, creating a succulent texture; however, cooking it too long at too high a heat can dry it out, so low and slow is key. For incredibly tender results, slow-cooking for several hours is ideal, often followed by a high-heat blast to crisp the skin.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter (Jif brand, of course!)
2 T soy sauce
1 T mirin or rice vinegar
2 T packed brown sugar
2 t chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
1 T lime juice
1 T grated ginger
3 cloves worth of minced garlic
Coconut milk
For the rolls
sheets of Jus-Rol Puff Pastry (we used 5 packages for about 5 pounds of pork belly)
5 pounds of smoked pork belly, cut into strips about the thickness of thick cut bacon
1. Place all of the sauce ingredients except for the coconut milk into a blender. Begin to blend at low speed as you drizzle in the coconut milk. Add enough coconut milk to get a thick frosting-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Roll out your puff pastry and cut lengthwise into 6 strips.
3. Layer a single layer of pork belly onto each strip of puff pastry.
4. Roll up your puff pastry into a cinnamon roll shape, then place the roll onto a baking sheet for transport to your smoker.
5. Set your smoker to 350F.
6. Place your rolls into the smoker on the top shelf.
7. Once you are happy with the look of the browning on the puff pastry (took about 25 minutes for us), place a heaping spoonful of your “peanut butter frosting” on top of each roll and smoke for another 10 minutes to allow the frosting to melt and perfectly cover your roll. Remove from smoker and consume! ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
Cabela’s Commercial-Grade Food Slicer – 12”
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