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You’re going to LOVE this recipe for Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends! Regardless if you make them in the oven or using your smoker you’ll get sticky, tender cubes of caramelized pork belly coated in the most amazing smoky glaze. They’re perfect for Game Day, family dinners or to serve up as part of a larger spread of barbecue meats and sides!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Using pork belly to make burnt ends yields a version of this barbecue classic that has the perfect ratio of tender meat to sweet, caramalized fat.
- This recipe includes instructions for cooking the glazed pork belly either in the oven or using your smoker to suit all kitchen setups and skill levels!
- Customize how you want your burnt ends to taste by using your go-to dry rub for pork. We like this simple homemade recipe, and this pre-made one.
Chef’s Tips
- You’ll know when your Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends are cooked when they reach the internal temperature of 200–205°F.
- If your favorite brand of dry rub does not contain any salt, when you’re seasoning a good rule of thumb is to add 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat. You’ll need approximately 1 tablespoon of dry rub per pound of pork.
- To get ahead, cook the pork belly up to a day ahead, stopping just before adding the glaze, then pick the recipe up from this step to finish the burnt ends off. This is a great strategy for entertaining!
More Barbecue & Grilling Recipes You’ll Love
- How To Make Smoked Tofu At Home
- Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning Recipe
- Smoked Baked Potatoes
- Smoked Asparagus Recipe
- Chicken Wing Brine Recipe
- Smoked Potato Recipe
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Crispy Caramelized Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 3-6 pounds Pork belly 1.5-inch cubes
- Pork dry rub plus salt, if the rub is unsalted – use approx. 1 tablespoon per pound
- 1⅓ cups packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar plus extra for spritzing
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke optional, for the oven method
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 275°F.
- Cube pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes.
- Score fat cap on each cube in an "X" pattern.
- Season heavily with your favorite pork dry rub. Mix, then season again, mix again, and finally apply a third layer of seasoning and mix one last time. If salt is not included in the dry rub ingredients you'll need about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat.
“Oven Smoke” Method (replaces 3-hour smoke)
- Arrange the pork belly cubes on a wire rack set over a foil-lined sheet pan (this keeps airflow around them in the oven). Bake 2 hours at 275°F. Optional: Every 30 minutes, quickly spritz with apple cider vinegar. This helps moisture and mimics the smoker method!
- Transfer the cubes to a disposable foil pan (or a 9×13 baking dish). Melt the butter, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and liquid smoke together until smooth and pour over the pork. Bake at 275°F for 1½–2 hours, until very tender (internal temp 200–205°F).
- Remove the foil. Increase the oven to 425°F. Bake the pork uncovered 15–25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the sauce is thick and sticky and edges darken. For an optional (but highly recommended!) final blast, broil for 1–3 minutes at the end for caramelized edges. But watch it like a hawk, because the burnt ends can turn from caramelized to actually burnt in moments!
Smoker Method
- Set your smoker to 250℉.
- Place the seasoned cubes evenly on the smoker racks, ensuring no cubes are touching. Smoke for 3 hours, spritzing the pork belly with apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes during the smoking process.
- Transfer the pork belly pieces to a disposable aluminum pan. Toss with the brown sugar, butter, honey, and the ⅔ cup of apple cider vinegar. Cover with foil, and smoke another 60-90 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 200-205℉.
- Remove the foil and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes to thicken up the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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