Pork belly burnt ends are prepared through slow cooking and braising until it becomes meat candy. It’s like brisket burnt ends but in a fraction of the time.
Pork belly burnt ends are bite-sized pieces of pork belly rubbed in an all-purpose pork dry rub, smoked low and slow, and tossed in a delicious maple syrup-infused bbq sauce.
I know what you mean; the two words “burnt ends” do not sound that appetizing, does it?
It didn’t sound appetizing to me either when David first started talking about trying to make it some years ago. Who wants bitter charred meat? Not me! However, burnt ends are far from charred and tasteless. Despite their distasteful name, smoked pork belly burnt ends are moist, juicy, tender bites of “meat candy” that practically melt in your mouth. They’re irresistible!
So how do you make pork belly burnt ends? I thought you would never ask. Keep reading, and we will share our method for making pork belly burnt ends.
What Are Burnt Ends?
Traditionally, burnt ends were initially made from beef brisket. They became popular in Kansas City when a restaurant decided to serve up discarded cuts of brisket drenched in sauce. This unintentional act of trying to get rid of leftovers became a hit in the BBQ world. Today these flavorful burnt ends are served in barbecue joints all over the US.
Although beef brisket is traditionally known for making burnt ends, fresh pork belly is a great alternative. Pork belly is perfect for cutting into small bites to smoke because of the layers of fat that keep it moist during a long slow smoke. It has all the delicious goodness of brisket burnt ends, but they can be smoked in a fraction of the time. Pork belly is the result of slow cooking and braising, meat candy.
What is Pork Belly?
As the name suggests, pork belly is the cut of meat that comes from the “belly” of the pig. The belly is flesh made of layers of fat and meat that run along the underside of a pig. The belly is what is left when the pork loin and spare ribs are taken away. Pork belly is the same cut of meat where bacon comes from.
Where Can I Find Pork Belly?
Pork belly is not that easy to come by. We always recommend starting with a locally sourced butcher. They should be able to supply you with a pork belly.
Check with your local grocery store too. If you don’t see one in the meat case, it will not hurt to ask the butcher. Sometimes they have them in the back, or they may be able to order one.
I got lucky when I was browsing our local grocery store one weekend. I ran across a whole bunch of pork belly individually shrink-wrapped inside the meat counter, so I grabbed one, not knowing what David and I would do with it. We had to freeze it until we were ready to use it. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any since.
What to Look for When Purchasing Pork Belly
When shopping for a pork belly, you should look for a nice balance of fat and meat. This cut comes in many sizes, from a whole slab or cut into small strips. Look for a pork belly that is fresh as possible, skin-on, lean, center-cut, and about 3 to 5 pounds. The leaner the cut is, the better it will be.
What Wood Do You Use to Smoke Pork Belly?
We used apple wood to smoke our pork belly burnt ends. However, hickory, pecan, maple, or other fruitwood varieties work well.
David would have used hickory, but he knows I’m not a huge fan of hickory, so he used applewood instead. Any of the wood varieties listed above are good choices.
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
The recipe card at the end of this post provides a detailed list of ingredients.
- 3 to 5 pounds of pork belly
- all-purpose pork dry rub
- barbecue sauce of choice
- ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
Helpful Equipment & Supplies
- water smoker or charcoal grill
- 18-pound bag charcoal
- 1 bag applewood chunks (or chips)
- charcoal chimney
- water (for water pan)
- tongs
- probe thermometer and/or instant-read thermometer*
- 9” x 13” disposable aluminum foil pan
(Note: you will need two disposable pans if you do not have a water pan for smoking) - grill grid
How to Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
We chose a more traditional route for smoking the pork belly. We started by smoking the pork belly whole with a dry rub. After 4 hours, we cut the pork belly into cubes, sprinkled on more dry rub then smoked the cubes for an hour before introducing the cubes to the sauce. It gave the burnt ends a nice balance of smoke and the dry rub before adding them to the sauce.
Some choose the method of cutting the meat into cubes before smoking. Exposing all sides of the cubed pork allows the meat to absorb more smoke.
There’s no wrong way to smoke pork belly. The key to either method is to cook the burnt ends low and slow. This gives the fat time to render and absorb the amazing smoke flavor from the wood. The way you choose is a matter of personal preference as to how smoky you want the tasty little bites of pork to be.
STEP #1 Prepare the Pork Belly for Smoking
Start with a skin-on, lean center-cut pork belly in the 3 to 5-pound range. Remove any skin and trim any areas of pure fat. Rinse it under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Then score a grid pattern across the meat about ⅛-inch deep.
Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to mix and remove any clumps. Rub three tablespoons of the spice rub onto the pork belly on all sides, reserving about one tablespoon for later.
Learn more about spice rubs HERE!
STEP #2 Preheat the Smoker
Preheat the smoker or charcoal grill to 250 degrees F. To maintain this low temperature, use only half as much charcoal as usual. (A half chimney-full.) Fill the drip pan inside the smoker with water and place the grate over the drip pan.
Alternatively, use a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat with a drip pan of water directly underneath the meat to stabilize the temperature.
STEP #3 Smoke the Pork Belly
When the coals are ready to cook, place the prepared pork belly onto the hot grate, centered over the drip pan filled with water. Insert the temperature probe (if using).
Toss a dry wood chunk or a handful of dry chips onto the hot coals. Cover the smoker or grill and allow the pork belly to smoke between 225 degrees F and 250 degrees F for 4 hours, or until a nice reddish bark starts forming on the meat’s surface and the temperature is about 160 degrees F.
Digital Meat Thermometer Notes: Knowing your grill’s temperature is crucial, so if your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, purchase a digital BBQ thermometer. David uses a Thermoworks Smoke™ Thermometer. This thermometer has two channels, one for the meat and one for the smoker, with remote control. David loves it.
The remote control saves him a lot of worrying about the smoker’s temperature. The alarm sounds whenever it falls below or rises above the ideal smoking temperature. If you are a serious pit master, we highly recommend it.
David also uses a ThermapenOne digital instant-read meat thermometer by Thermoworks to test for doneness.
STEP #4 Cut the Pork Belly Into Cubes
After 4 hours, remove the probe from the pork belly. Remove the pork from the smoker and place it on a carving board.
Cut the meat into 1 ½ inch cubes. The pork will be hot, so you may want to wait about 5 minutes to cut it.
Place the cubes of pork belly onto a grill grid or wire rack. Sprinkle the cubes with the remaining tablespoon of rub.
Return the pork belly to the grill and smoke for another 60 to 90 minutes until the internal temperature of the cubes reach about 190 degrees F with an instant-read digital meat thermometer.
STEP #5 Sauce the Burnt Ends
Butter gives the sauce richness. It also helps to bind the sauce and maple syrup together. The maple syrup provides a sticky sweetness to the sauce.
Meanwhile, add 1 cup of barbecue sauce to a small saucepan over low heat. Add in the butter and maple syrup. Stir until the butter has melted and the sauce has warmed for about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Remove the burnt ends from the smoker and place them inside an aluminum pan. Pour the sauce over the burnt ends. Use tongs to toss the burnt ends in the sauce.
Bring the burnt ends to simmer in the sauce. Allow them to simmer for another 60 to 90 minutes, maintaining the low and slow heat. Toss the burnt ends every 15 to 20 minutes.
The point of braising is to render the fat from the pork belly and bind the sauce with a delicious smoky flavor.
STEP #6 Test for Doneness
Check for doneness using an instant-read digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cubes. The pork belly is done when the cubes read about 190 degrees F when pierced into the cube’s center.
You can also test the burnt ends with a toothpick. If the toothpick goes in and comes out without resistance, they are done.
STEP #7 SERVE EM HOT!
Remove the pan from the smoker and serve!
How to Serve Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Because pork belly burnt ends are so rich, they a usually served in small portions. They make a great appetizer with toothpicks or can be piled upon sliced bread. You can even add these delicious jewels of meat to tacos or nachos. No matter how you serve them, they are a surefire bite-size crowd-pleaser!
We hope you enjoy smoking pork belly burnt ends as much as we do. If you try this recipe, please let us know what you think. Leave a star rating and comment below! We appreciate the feedback.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends (Meat Candy)
Useful Equipment:
- 18-pound bag charcoal
- Hickory Wood Chunks
- Water (for water pan)
Ingredients
- 3 to 5 pounds of pork belly
- all-purpose pork dry rub (recipe to follow)
- barbecue sauce of choice (see note)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
All-Purpose Pork Dry Rub:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
STEP #1 Prepare the Pork Belly for Smoking
- Start with a skin-on, lean center-cut pork belly in the 3 to 5-pound range. Remove any skin and trim any areas of pure fat. Rinse it under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Then score a grid pattern across the meat about an ⅛-inch deep.
- Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to mix to remove any clumps. Rub 3 tablespoons of the spice rub onto the pork belly on all sides reserving about 1 tablespoon for later.
#2 Preheat the Smoker
- Preheat the smoker or charcoal grill to 250 degrees F. To maintain this low temperature, use only half as much charcoal as usual. (A half chimney-full.) Fill the drip pan inside the smoker with water and place the grate over the drip pan.
- Alternatively, using a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat with a drip pan of water directly underneath the meat to stabilize the temperature.
#3 Smoke the Pork Belly
- When the coals are ready to cook, place the prepared pork belly onto the hot grate, centered over the drip pan filled with water. Insert the temperature probe (if using).
- Toss a dry wood chunk or a handful of dry chips onto the hot coals. Cover the smoker or grill and allow the pork belly to smoke between 225 degrees F and 250 degrees F for 4-hours, or until a nice reddish bark starts to form on the surface of the meat and the temperature is about 160 degrees F.
#4 Cut the Pork Belly Into Cubes
- After 4 hours, remove the probe from the pork belly. Remove the pork from the smoker and place it on a carving board.
- Cut the meat into 1 ½ inch cubes. The pork will be hot, so you may want to wait about 5 minutes or so to cut it.
- Place the cubes of pork belly onto a grill grid or wire rack. Sprinkle the cubes with the remaining tablespoon of rub.
- Return the pork belly to the grill and smoke for another 60 to 90 minutes, until the internal temperature of the cubes reach about 190 degrees F with a instant-read digital meat thermometer.
#5 Sauce the Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Butter is added to the sauce to give it richness and helps to bind the sauce and maple syrup together. The maple syrup provides a sticky sweetness to the sauce.
- Meanwhile, add 1 cup of barbecue sauce to a small saucepan over low heat. Add in the butter and maple syrup. Stir until the butter has melted and the sauce is warmed through; about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Remove the burnt ends from the smoker and place them inside an aluminum pan. Pour the sauce over the burnt ends. Use tongs to toss the burnt ends in the sauce.
- Bring the burnt ends to simmer in the sauce. Allow them to simmer for another 60 to 90 minutes, maintaining the low and slow heat. Toss the burnt ends every 15 to 20 minutes. The purpose of braising is to render the fat from the pork belly and binds the sauce with a delicious smoky flavor.
#6 Test for Doneness
- Check for doneness using an instant-read digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cubes. They are done when they read about 190 degrees F when pierced into the center of the cube.
- You can also test the burnt ends with a toothpick. If the toothpick goes in and come out without resistance, they are done.
#7 Serve 'em Hot!
- Remove the pan from the smoker and serve!
Notes
[Click HERE for a classic barbecue sauce recipe.] Digital Meat Thermometers: Knowing the temp in your grill is crucial, so if your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, purchase a digital BBQ thermometer. David uses a Thermoworks Smoke™ thermometer. This thermometer has 2 channels, one for the meat and one for the smoker, with remote control. David loves it. The remote control saved him a lot of worrying about the smoker’s temperature. The alarm sounds whenever it falls below or rises above the ideal smoking temperature. If you are a serious pit master, we highly recommend it. David also uses a ThermapenOne digital instant-read meat thermometer by Thermoworks to test for doneness.
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