Grilling the beef belly Throw the belly onto the grill at 500F for about 10 minutes. Using an internal meat thermometer, you want to cook the meat up to an internal temperature of about 135 degrees. This level of doneness will give you edible fat and a nice pink center.
If you thought regular bacon was delicious, wait until you taste the crispy golden goodness of beef bacon.
Bacon in it’s most common form is cured and smoke pork belly. The Canadians, Brits and Australians do it a little weirdly, using parts of the loin too. The fat-rippled belly, however, produces a tastier and crisper finished product. Basically, I think it’s the best type of bacon.
It’s not just piggies that have bellies, though. Steers have some mighty belly meat that transforms into incredibly flavorful bacon. The beef belly is better known by its industry term – navel. The navel cut is what the brisket joins into, just a little further down the body. Just like pork, it’s rippled with seams of fat that when cooked correctly transform to golden rendered ribbons.
What does beef bacon taste like? The very first bite was so familiar to me… it took just a few more seconds for taste memory to kick in and then a lightbulb went off. It tastes like the fast food fries of my childhood! Why? Because back in the day, fries were cooked in beef tallow for its intense flavor. Beef bacon is pure incarnation of that flavor.
Beef bacon is created in three steps – curing the belly, smoking the meat, cooking the bacon to beefy perfection.
Making your own beef bacon is not difficult, it’s just a matter of being prepared for the time the cure takes, then the smoke stage. The most difficult thing may be procuring navel, or belly, but you can approach your local meat market to special order it for you or even order online. They are also quite large, so you can always make half as a batch of bacon, and freeze the second half to bacon-ize at a later time.
You will also need to track down pink curing salt for the curing process. This is also known as Prague Powder #1. Fun fact – #2 is in fact for long cure items such as ham, whereas #1 is designed for a quick cure and items that will be eaten relatively soon after curing. You can find this at specialty grocers and procure it quite easily online. Finally, you may like to consider an instant read thermometer like this Thermapen to check the internal temperature of the meat during the smoking stage.
And if you prefer to try your hand at original pork bacon, try this recipe.
Beef Belly on a Pellet Smoker | Mad Scientist BBQ
FAQ
What is beef navel good for?
How long does it take to cook beef belly?
What is another name for beef navel?
Is beef belly same as brisket?
How do you cook navel beef?
Here are some popular cooking techniques: Grilling: Grilling navel beef over high heat sears the exterior, creating a flavorful crust while leaving the interior succulent and juicy. Roasting: Roasting navel beef in the oven allows for even cooking and develops a rich, caramelized exterior.
How to cook beef belly?
There are only a few steps to cooking beef belly in this way: 1) Use natural seasonings like salt, pepper, and sugar for the rub. Different ingredients used for cooking beef belly include soy sauce, vinegar, and other sauces to enhance the flavor. Onions are also a good ingredient because they will give the meat more flavor while being cooked.
How do you cook a beef belly on a grill?
Next you want to season the meat with the white lightning and then the Cattleman’s seasoning. Once the belly is seasoned, let the pieces sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes, this will allow the seasonings to penetrate the meat. Throw the belly onto the grill at 500F for about 10 minutes.
What is a beef navel?
A beef navel is located on the cow’s belly near the backbone and has a round shape. It can be cooked in many different ways; this article focuses on preparing it as part of a dish with other cuts like short ribs or brisket, but there are also recipes for sandwiches, tacos, pasta sauce, etc.