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Grilled BBQ Pork Belly Skewers

Name: Grilled BBQ Pork Belly Skewers
Prep time: 48 min
Total time: 48 min
Cuisine: American · Barbecue
Ingredients: pork belly — 907 g; vegetable oil — 14 g; salt — 15 g; light-brown sugar — 13 g; smoked paprika — 10 g; garlic — 5 g; onion powder — 5 g; cayenne pepper — 3 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; sweet barbecue sauce — 237 g; apple cider vinegar — 30 g; parsley — 7 g; -10 wooden skewers — 800 g

Grilled BBQ Pork Belly Skewers reads sweetness 5.4, umami 4.6 and richness 4.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American · Barbecue main, about 48 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.0 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.7 / 10
Sour & Bright — 4.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.4 · Umami 4.6 · Richness 4.1 · Sourness 4.0 · Allium 3.4 · Salinity 3.1 · Heat 3.0 · Smoke 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.4 · Fruity 1.2 · Citrus 1.1 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 0.8 · Floral 0.7 · Nutty 0.5

What's in it (13)

pork belly — 907 g
vegetable oil — 14 g
salt — 15 g
light-brown sugar — 13 g
smoked paprika — 10 g
garlic — 5 g
onion powder — 5 g
cayenne pepper — 3 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
sweet barbecue sauce — 237 g
apple cider vinegar — 30 g
parsley — 7 g
-10 wooden skewers — 800 g

Time & effort: about 48 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 262.3 kcal, 4.3 g protein, 24.2 g fat, 6.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

Cut the pork belly into 1-inch cubes, place in a large pot, and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer and cook until the pork is fork-tender and some of the fat has rendered into the liquid, 25-30 minutes.
Drain the pork well and pat completely dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the cubes with the vegetable oil, then add the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper; toss again until every cube is evenly coated.
Thread the seasoned pork belly cubes onto 8-10 skewers (soak wooden skewers in water 20 minutes first), leaving a little space between pieces so the heat reaches all sides.
Meanwhile, whisk the barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar together in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy, 4-5 minutes; set aside half for serving.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 450°F). Grill the skewers, turning every 2-3 minutes, until deeply browned on all sides and the fat has crisped, 10-12 minutes total.
Brush the skewers generously on all sides with the remaining glaze and continue grilling, turning once, until the glaze is caramelized and beginning to char at the edges and the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F, 3-4 minutes more.
Transfer the skewers to a platter, let rest 5 minutes, scatter with the parsley, and serve hot with the reserved barbecue sauce on the side.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Memphis Dry-Rub Baby Back Ribs — Southern · Barbecue
Carolina Pulled Pork with Vinegar BBQ Sauce — Southern · Barbecue
Classic Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs — American · Barbecue
Grilled Maple Bourbon Pork Chops — American
Classic Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Ketchup Glaze — American

Keep reading: what sweetness, umami, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.