These smoked pork belly burnt ends are like delicious little morsels of meat candy you won't be able to stop eating! A quick toss in your favorite BBQ sauce and a few extra hours in the smoker is all you need to turn a juicy slab of pork belly into these delicious meaty treats! Make these pork belly burnt ends for your next get-together and you will be the most popular person at the party!
Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela
Instructions
Smoke The Pork Belly
Preheat your smoker to 225°F (105°C). Take a sharp knife and score the fat side of the pork belly slab in a crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat.
Season the pork belly with the dry rub and massage it into the meat all over. Place the slab of pork on the smoker grate fat-side-up and smoke for 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
(optional) After smoking for 1 ½ hours, spritz pork belly with a 50/50 blend of apple cider vinegar and water every 30 minutes until done smoking (*see note).
Remove the pork belly from the smoker and move it to a cutting board.
Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Instead of resting or slicing your pork belly, cut the entire slab into 1" cubes. Add the cubes to a disposable pan and toss them with your preferred BBQ sauce.*Mix any optional sauce upgrades with the BBQ sauce before tossing.
Return the pan to the smoker and let the burnt ends smoke for 1-2 hours, or until the sauce is thick, sticky, and caramelized. Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
A single batch of my pork rub will season 3-4 pounds of pork belly.
Allow the pork to come to room temperature for at least an hour before smoking if time allows. This helps the pork belly cook evenly.
The apple cider spritz is optional. I prefer not to open the smoker more than I have to, but I do love the flavor that the spritz adds to the meat.
To store: After cooling, the pork belly can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4 days.
To freeze: Vacuum seal or place the burnt ends in a heavy-duty freezer bag and remove as much air as possible before freezing. Enjoy within 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
To reheat: Place in a baking dish covered with foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes.