These Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends are super tender, full of flavor and so easy to make. Using a method similar to 3-2-1 ribs, we smoke then braise our pork belly bites until they are meat candy tender.
We’ve got the full recipe AND a video tutorial (viewed over 21 million times) for these incredible smoked pork belly burnt ends for you!
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What Are Pork Belly Burnt Ends
We started experimenting with Pork Belly Burnt Ends early in our Catering Days. Our first experimentation was for Troon Winery in Carlton, Oregon at Porklandia, and since then we have tried new and different smoked pork belly recipes. We ultimately decided to cook in the same way we would do beef brisket burnt ends.
The transformation of pork belly into something that resembled the magical perfection of beef burnt ends, was a pretty magical experience.
And in fact, shortly after I released this video for our recipe, it had over 2 million views in less than 2 days.
People loved this recipe! The video now has over 21 million views and counting.
The verdict is in. Pork Belly Burnt Ends are now a BBQ staple in thousands of homes across the globe!
Traeger pork belly burnt ends
I would like to add that we cook our smoked pork belly with our Traeger grill, which is extremely easy to use. Just like most other smoked meat, cooking them in a slow and low process is ideal.
It provides more time to dissolve the fat and allow the pork belly bites to absorb the incredible smoky flavor from the wood pellets. My experience grilling over the last several years has been made a whole lot enjoyable with our Traeger smoker.
What is Pork Belly
Just like bacon, pork belly comes from the belly of the pig and is attached to parts of the loin and ribs. Pork belly is raw and unprocessed with an incredibly rich flavor. This incredibly marbled and tender cut is the base for bacon or Porchetta.
This cut will come in many sizes, from small strips to a full slab (10+ lbs). Make sure to ask the butcher for the skin to be trimmed off when purchasing pork belly (saves some weight when you have to pay by the pound!).
And be sure you get enough to feed a crowd because they will be coming back for seconds, and thirds. I like to get at least 3 lbs of pork belly as it gives me enough to get good size bites. When we cater events we think 5 ounces of meat per person for a serving, so you roughly get three servings per pound. What we have here in this picture is 5 pounds of pork belly in two small slabs.
How to Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
If you still see the skin on the pork belly, or there is a little extra fat, trim that off. Then cut the meat into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes. You will get some shrinkage from the cooking process (just like bacon), so don’t be afraid if at first the cubes seem a bit large. After cooking, your pork belly burnt ends will shrink down to the perfect sized bite.
Butcher Tip – If you see cubes that are all fat, those won’t render. Discard them. If you are buying the pork belly, look to make sure you have a cut that is a balance of fat and meat. Ask the butcher for the center cut of the belly for the best fat to meat ratio.
Next, apply olive oil (enough to coat the meat) and your favorite dry rub on the pork belly cubes (we use this dry rub). Be generous (we use about 1 cup of dry rub for 5 lbs of meat). Feel free to adjust the amount based off your portion size. Because there is so much fat in the belly, don’t bother with a brine in advance.
Using a wire rack rather than a pan is more ideal for smoking pork belly bites since it allows for better smoke circulation. Also, it will take much less effort to get the meat cubes on and off the grill.
How to Cook Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Start by smoking first for that flavor and bark, and then we want to braise the pork belly bites in some sauce to get even more flavor and moisture into the meat. To accomplish this, we will cook on a rack of some kind, as it is easier to lift off larger numbers of those cubes. If you don’t have a rack that’s fine, it just makes it easier to transport.
- Smoke for three hours at 225-250 degrees, or until you like the color of the meat. A nice bark will form starting around the three-hour mark. This can take longer based on so many factors like wind and how much bark you like. The key is, once you put it into the braising liquid, your bark is done forming.
- Next, add the pork belly cubes to a pan (we like a heat-proof disposable pan). Into the pan add the braising liquid. We use BBQ sauce to really add that extra flavor (about 1 cup), 3-4 tablespoons of butter, which adds richness and acts as a fatty binding agent for bringing the sauce and honey together, and then 2 tablespoons of honey (or agave) to bring a stickiness and sweet characteristic. Then mix them all together.
- Then cover and braise in the smoker for another 60 – 90 minutes. You will find that the liquid braises at or near a boil and that the fat renders down in the pork belly burnt ends keeping the pan moist. Again, you have added additional fat in the butter, the honey as a binder, and the sauce for the flavor to really render out the fat that is in the pork belly.
- You want it to get to around 200-205 degrees at this point. We always recommend using a good digital thermometer to check your temp.
- Finally, remove the foil pan cover and cook for another 15 minutes to let the heat tack up that sauce, as you would with ribs or other sauced meats. Remove and eat some well-made pork belly burnt ends. It’s that simple. And that delicious!
I should warn you that these aren’t really recommended by your doctor. So I suggest starting your day with a green smoothie, then indulge in these for lunch. It’s called a balanced diet 😉
Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Ingredients
For the Pork Belly Burnt Ends:
- 5 pound pork belly, sliced into cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry rub, see notes for our favorite
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup favorite BBQ sauce, we used Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce, see notes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 225 – 250 degrees using fruit wood (we used cherry for color and sweeter flavor)
- Trim excess skin and fat off the pork belly and slice into 2 inch cubes and place into a large bowl.
- Add olive oil and dry rub liberally and then place cubes onto a wire rack or directly on the smoker.
- Smoke uncovered for three hours. Look for a darker red color and a modest bark develop.
- Remove the pork belly cubes from the smoker and place into a foil pan and then add your BBQ sauce, butter, and honey, and stir. Next cover the pan with aluminum foil and place back on the smoker.
- Cook for an additional 90 minutes or until the internal temperature (IT) is roughly 200 – 203 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the foil, close the lid to the smoker, and smoke for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken up.
- Remove from smoker and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Wine Pairing for Pork Belly Burnt Ends
While I highly recommend a glass of rosé while cooking (since, well, it takes upwards of 4 hours for the magical meal to come to fruition). But come burnt end time, we’re going big.
Syrah!
The flavors here are big and bold. You’ve got the smoke, some richness, sweetness, possibly spiciness (if your BBQ sauce has some spiciness). You need something that can handle that weight. There are several options, but I love a bold Syrah.
Syrah from Washington State is my go-to. It has some richness, bold fruit, and some herbal notes. Big and balanced flavors, just like the burnt ends! Malbec and Zinfandel are also good pairings.
These guys agree.
Recommended Products:
- The ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4 digital thermometer.
*This post contains affiliate links for the ThermoWorks Mk4 Digital Thermometer. We only recommend products we use and love!
Patrick G. says
Love this recipe! I think I might make this for Christmas, BUT . . . It’s supposed to be very cold that day here. 25 degrees colder than the day before. If I made these the day before, does anyone know how well these reheat and the best method to do so to retain the texture and moistness? Oven? Crock pot? Other?
Sean Martin says
Patrick feel free to make them the day before and reheat them in the oven. You’ll find the sauce and the fat will harden in the fridge, just spoon all of that into an oven safe dish add a touch more sauce, then add that to an oven safe dish. Warm them at 275 until they are warm. It will be just as good.
Patrick G says
Thank you!
Patrick G. says
Any chance you’ve tried them in a Crock Pot (just re-warmed)? Wife said she’s claiming the oven. So wondering if I warm up in the oven, then Crock Pot or just Crock Pot, would they still be good or would that just get gooey and clumpy and not be the same?
Sean Martin says
The slow cooker may make them soggy because of the low heat. If you have a burner free, consider a large sauce pot, add them to the sauce pot with sauce and then simmer them at higher heat. This way you quickly bring the heat up and keep the nice texture versus a slower heat simmer.