Crispy Caramelized Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Close up of pork belly burnt ends on a lined baking sheet.

Crispy Caramelized Pork Belly Burnt Ends

easyhealthyrecipes.com/smoked-pork-belly-burnt-ends/

These sticky, caramelized Pork Belly Burnt Ends are the perfect appetizer for your next cookout - with instructions for cooking them in the oven or smoker they're perfect for any timescale or skill level!

Prep: 30

Cook: 4 45

Total: 5 15

Recipe makes approximately 12

Ingredients Needed

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)

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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.

Recipe Notes

Checking for doneness: You'll know when your burnt ends are cooked when they reach the internal temperature of 200–205°F.

Adding salt: 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.

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!

Nutrition Info (Approximate)