Smoked pork belly burnt ends made with caramelized melt-in-your-mouth pork belly cubes coated in a BBQ sauce and honey glaze for the perfect hit of smoke and sweet.
Pork belly burnt ends are a delicious barbecue dish made from 1-inch cubes of pork belly that are seasoned, smoked, and then glazed to create caramelized and tender bites of meat candy.
With alternating layers of meat and fat, pork belly is the perfect pork cut to use for these burnt ends. The thick layer of fat on top helps them maintain their shape well throughout the smoke, and is pretty consistent from cube to cube. And because pork belly has a high fat-to-meat ratio, there’s a lot of flavor in each single piece.
These are a spin on the original brisket burnt ends, which use the fatty point end of a brisket. But with pork belly being cheaper and more forgiving than brisket, this pork version is a great place to start for barbecue beginners, or if you just want something easy and sweet that always goes down well with a crowd.
Quick Tips
- Trim Then Cube: Ensure you trim any excess fat before you cut the belly into cubes. It’s far more time-efficient and will help you keep the cubes uniform.
- Fat is Your Friend: When trimming your pork, ensure that each cube has a layer of fat on top. This not only helps the pork cubes keep their shape as they smoke and shrink, but also adds more flavor.
- Wire Rack: Use a wire rack to prevent the small cubes from falling through the smoker grates. This will help keep them in place while also allowing a good amount of smoke to flow underneath and around them.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Ensure there’s about ¼-½ inch of space between the cubes on the wire rack for proper smoke circulation and even cooking.
Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Equipment
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork belly no skin and uncured
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your smoker to 250°F (120°C). If you are using a charcoal grill, set it up for 2-zone indirect cooking.
- Cut the pork belly into cubes about 1 inch thick
- In a small bowl, mix the dry rub ingredients. Combine well to create a consistent blend.
- Season the pork belly cubes with the dry rub mix, coating them evenly on all sides
- Arrange the cubes on a wire rack fat-side up with a little space in between each cube to allow for good airflow.
- Once your smoker is at temperature, place the wire rack on the smoker grates. Smoke for 2 hours.
- Place the pork cubes in an aluminum pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, then drizzle with honey.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and return it to the smoker. Smoke for 60-90 minutes until the cubes are tender.
- Remove the pork from the foil and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in barbecue sauce, coating each cube evenly.
- Arrange the cubes back on the wire rack, and place back in the smoker. Smoke for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to set.
- Remove from smoker and serve right away
