Ah, pork belly burnt ends—rich, caramelized, and insanely flavorful! They’re basically the “beef burnt ends” of the pork world: tender cubes with a sticky, smoky, sweet glaze. Here’s a detailed guide to making them:
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 2–3 lbs pork belly, skin removed
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- Dry rub:
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional, for heat)
- Glaze/Sauce:
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
1. Prep the pork belly
- Cut the pork belly into 1–1.5 inch cubes.
- Toss the cubes with olive oil and coat evenly with the dry rub. Let sit 30 minutes to 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight for more flavor).
2. Smoke or bake
- Smoking method: Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Place pork belly cubes on the smoker rack and cook for 2–3 hours until the outside is nicely caramelized and the interior is tender.
- Oven method: Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place cubes on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake 2–3 hours until tender.
3. Glaze and caramelize
- Place the cooked pork belly cubes in a foil pan. Mix barbecue sauce, honey, and butter, then pour over the cubes.
- Toss to coat evenly.
- Return to smoker or oven for 30–60 minutes at 250°F (121°C), stirring occasionally, until sauce is sticky and caramelized.
4. Serve
- Let cool slightly, then serve as a main dish, appetizer, or sandwich topping.
Tips for perfection:
- Choose pork belly with a good layer of fat—it keeps the cubes juicy.
- Low and slow cooking is key to render the fat and get that “burnt end” texture.
- If you like extra sticky burnt ends, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end to caramelize the glaze even more.
If you want, I can also give a quick oven-only shortcut version that gives almost the same caramelized effect without a smoker or hours of cooking.
Do you want that shortcut?
