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–+ servings
Bowl of pork belly bourbon baked beans.
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5 from 4 votes

Pork Belly Bourbon Baked Beans

All of the best and most indulgent things come together for these Pork Belly Bourbon Baked Beans. From the rich, almost sweet, apple braised pork belly to the firm and savory beans every single bite will battle your inner inhibitions to burst out in song while eating.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 15 minutes
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Barbecue, Comfort Food, Party Food
Keyword: Bourbon Baked Beans
Servings: 10 people
Author: Susie Bulloch

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds pork belly skin removed and fatty side scored in 1 inch squares
  • 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub recipe in notes

Pork Belly Braise

  • 2 cups unfiltered apple juice or cider
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup bourbon

Baked Beans

  • 3 16-oz cans pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 16-oz cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 cups barbecue sauce
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard

Instructions

  • Preheat. Start up your smoker. You're looking for a lot of thin blue smoke and a consistent temperature around 225 degrees F.
  • Season the pork. Liberally season the pork belly on all sides with the Sweet Rub.
  • Smoke the pork belly. Once the grill is smoking, place the seasoned pork belly fat side up on the grill grate and close the lid. Smoke for 2 hours.
  • Make the braise. Combine the apple juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and bourbon in a large Dutch oven. Remove the pork belly from the grill and place it in the dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid, return to the grill and increase your grill temperature to 275 degrees F. Cook for an additional 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  • Shred the pork. Drain excess liquid from the Dutch oven and set aside. Shred the pork belly, removing any excess fat.
  • Finish cooking. Return the shredded pork belly to the Dutch oven. Stir in the beans, onion, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Cover with the lid and return to the grill. Cook for 2 more hours or until the ingredients are well combined and at the consistency you like. Add additional BBQ sauce if you like your beans a little thinner!
  • Enjoy. Dish up and enjoy immediately.

Notes

Sweet Rub Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 934kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg