EMBER Pork Belly Lollipops with Orange Pepper Drizzle & Crackling Crumb

Recipe Ideas

Pork belly was made for this sort of cook. Smoke first. Braise until tender. Skewer it up, dunk it in glaze, then finish it hot until the outside turns dark, sticky and tacky.

This version leans into rich pork, proper BBQ colour, and a bright orange pepper drizzle that cuts through the fat and sweetness. The crackling crumb brings the crunch. The spring onion lifts the finish. Messy in all the right ways.

Step 1 – Make the Crackling Crumb

Pat the pork rind dry, lightly oil it, and season with salt. Cook at 190–200°C until puffed and crisp, then leave it to cool fully.

Crush or pulse it into a coarse crumb and mix with the smoked paprika, soft brown sugar, and a small pinch of salt. Set it aside for finishing later.

Step 2 – Prep the Pork Belly

Slice the boneless pork belly into long strips around 2.5–3 cm wide. Keep them as even as you can so they cook consistently.

Coat the strips all over with EMBER rub and leave them for 20–30 minutes while the grill comes up. This gives the rub time to tack onto the meat and helps build better colour in the smoke.

Step 3 – Smoke the Pork Belly

Set your smoker to 135–150°C.

Lay the pork belly strips on the grill and smoke for 60–90 minutes, until the rub has set, the outside has taken on good colour, and the fat has started to render. You are not looking for full tenderness yet. This stage is all about smoke, bark and building the base.

Step 4 – Make the Bright Orange Pepper Drizzle

While the pork is smoking, blend the drained roasted red peppers with the orange juice, orange zest, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and chilli flakes until smooth.

Taste it and adjust if needed. Add a little more vinegar if it wants more sharpness, or a teaspoon of honey if it needs rounding out. Simmer gently for a few minutes until slightly thickened, then cool and transfer to a squeezy bottle or spooning jug.

Step 5 – Braise the Pork Belly

Transfer the smoked pork belly strips to a foil tray. Add the butter, honey, soft dark brown sugar, and apple juice.

Cover tightly with foil and cook at 160°C for 25–35 minutes, until the pork is tender but still holding its shape. Remove the pork carefully and reserve the braising liquid. That liquid is the backbone of the glaze, so do not waste it.

Step 6 – Skewer the Pork Belly

Once the pork is cool enough to handle, thread each strip onto a skewer.

Step 7 – Make the Glaze

Pour 300 ml of the reserved braising liquid into a pan and add the BBQ sauce, honey, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar.

Simmer gently until the glaze turns glossy and thick enough to coat the pork properly. You want it sticky, rich and smooth, not reduced so far that it turns heavy.

Step 8 – Dunk and Tack Up

Pour the glaze into a deep glass or Yeti-style cup so the skewers can be dipped properly.

Dunk each pork belly skewer fully into the glaze, lift slowly, and let the excess drip away. Return the glazed skewers to the Ninja at 190–210°C for 5–10 minutes, until the glaze has tightened, gone sticky, and taken on that dark lacquered finish.

Step 9 – Finish and Serve

Lay the pork belly lollipops onto a platter and run 2–3 clean lines of the bright orange pepper drizzle over the top.

Finish with a light scatter of crackling crumb and finely sliced spring onion. You end up with dark sticky pork, bright citrus-pepper sharpness, crisp texture, and just enough freshness to keep every bite moving.