Smoked Pork Belly Sliders with Spicy Pickled Slaw

Preheat a nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Open each slider bun and spread with a generous amount of butter. Toast the slider buns in the skillet until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, slice each piece of pork belly into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Put 2 to 3 slices of pork belly on the bottom bun of each slider. Top with a tablespoon or so of drained spicy pickled slaw. Pour the desired amount of barbecue sauce on and finish sandwiches with top bun.

Cut the pork belly lengthwise down the middle into two 4-oz pieces. Stir the dry rub and the sugar together in a shallow bowl with a fork or whisk until evenly combined. Sprinkle both pieces of the belly on all sides with the sweetened dry rub. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for 8 hours or up to overnight. This will season the belly and gently cure it a little.

Preheat a smoker or grill according to the manufacturer’s directions to 225ºF. (Our preferred wood for smoking is hickory, but you can use whatever wood or wood chips you prefer. If you are using a grill, be sure to move the hot coals to one side before you begin smoking. The belly pieces should not be directly over the heat.)

Remove the pork belly pieces from the plastic wrap. Place the seasoned pieces in the cooker and close lid to smoke until tender to the touch and the internal temperature registers 140ºF on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 hours.

Pour the barbecue sauce into a shallow bowl and use a brush or mop to coat each piece of pork belly with sauce on all sides. Carefully place back into the cooker with the lid closed until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 160 to 165ºF, another 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Allow the pork belly pieces to rest on a sheet try or plate for 30 to 45 minutes before slicing into them.

Whisk the paprika, salt, chili powder, granulated garlic, granulated onion and pepper together in a bowl until well blended.

If you like it really spicy, add the chipotle powder or cayenne pepper. (The chipotle powder will give you a bit more smokiness and a warm heat and the cayenne will give more of a straight, spicy burn.)

This recipe will make a good enough amount for several BBQ sessions. Keep covered and in a dark place for best results. After 3 months, make a new batch.

Add the apple cider vinegar to a medium saucepot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour in the sugar and whisk until dissolved, then remove from heat.

Mix together the cabbage, jalapenos and red onion in a heatproof bowl, then add bay leaves. Carefully pour the hot vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Use a spoon to carefully make sure the veggies are completely submerged in the mix. If not, gently place a small plate over the veggies so they sink down. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. Allow to pickle for at least 5 to 6 hours in the fridge, or ideally overnight.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Pickled slaw keeps up to 1 week in the fridge.