Advise please on pork belly in WSM

[A Kokkinos]

Hi to all. I have a big party coming up and I plan to slowly cook pork belly in the WSM (each piece about 4 pounds, 2 pieces with barbecue sauce, 2 pieces with dry rub). I will aim for the melt-in-your-mouth texture. My questions:
1. Temp will be set at 225-250 F. What about water in the pan? I used water a couple of times and was not impressed with all the moisture and end-result. Can I get away with no water in the pan at this temp? Will this end with a drier meat?
2. Do you recommend skin on, or skin off?
3. Do you recommend cutting up the meat in pieces (1.5-2 inches) before cooking, or cook the bellies whole and then cut them up?

Thank you all,

Andreas

 

[Geir Widar]

250 F will work just fine. I would leave the skin on, and try to get the skin crisp, something like this:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?37576-In-the-hall-of-the-Arctic-pig&highlight=mountain+pig

The skin won't be crisp at 250, so cou can use a weed burner, or place the skin directly over the coals at the end of the cook. You can drop the water in the pan, it won't dry out.

 

[Wolgast]

What Geir said. Mby even consider slicing one of em up in slices and cook em on your kettle with plain salt/pepper. Something like this:
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?24721-Belly-and-NewBorns&highlight=belly Supertasty.

 

[A Kokkinos]

Thank you both. The rotisserie pics look quite amazing, albeit, not enough quantity for 30 adults and 5 teens. So, WSM gets its turn, and on Saturday I will do a test run with one piece of pork belly - skin on as per your advise. Thanks once again.

Andreas