I've been on a huge pork belly kick lately, and I've been making these pork belly "burnt ends" a LOT. Yes, I realize that traditional "burnt ends" come from the "point" muscle of a beef brisket, but these are better. Much better! Trust me

Anyway, here we go...
These were from a couple of weekends ago, and I used 2 slabs that totaled about 11lbs combined (I froze the 3rd slab) IMPORTANT: Trim the ENTIRE fat cap off the back side!!! I can't stress that enough! We're not making chicharrones here!

Another tip: Throwing the slab in the freezer for 20-30 minutes (to "firm" it up) before prepping this makes life a lot easier when you go to slice it!

Cube them up into 1.25-1.5" (3.2-3.8cm) "blocks" (they'll shrink a little while cooking), and toss them around in your favorite BBQ rub. Place them on a wire rack, but leave a little space in between them so that the smoke can penetrate all sides and get a nice bark/crust built up all around Onto the smoker at 275*F (135*C) UNCOVERED for 3 hours. My own personal preference, but I absolutely LOVE cherry wood for pork! After 3 hours of open smoke, they should look like this: Take them off the smoker (after 3 hours) and toss them into a big foil tray. Add a stick of butter (PER SLAB of pork belly!), a 1/2 cup of brown sugar (per slab), and drizzle 1/2 cup of honey (per slab) in there. (Note: you can just "eyeball" the amount of brown sugar and honey) No need to stir or mix anything here. COVER WITH FOIL, and return to the smoker for another 1.5-2 hours After 1.5-2 hours (covered!), drain the buttery liquid from the pan, and GENTLY toss in BBQ sauce. They're gonna want to fall apart, so really be gentle! Put back on the smoker, UNCOVERED, for about 15-20 minutes to let the BBQ sauce "set" and get nice and tacky, aaaaaaaand...

BOOM! ^ My favorite BBQ snacks ever! Hands down
Enjoy!

NIce!!! That looks melt in your mouth awesome!!
Thanks Mike.

Beautiful! I can almost taste that.

never really tried bbq rubs, what type do you use?---tom

encore wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 12:47 pm never really tried bbq rubs, what type do you use?---tom

Lately, for pork, I've been using Jess Pryles' recipe:

-1/4 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup paprika
-2T salt
-1T chili powder
-1T onion powder
-1T black pepper
-1T mustard powder
-2t cumin
-1/2t cayenne pepper

---------------------
In addition to that ^, I've been adding 1t of granulated garlic and 1/2t of Ancho chile powder

What brand of chili powder if you please.?

worth1 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:56 pm What brand of chili powder if you please.?

I usually just use our local grocery store's spices, Worth. I do so much BBQing (making dry rubs) that I go through them too fast for it to be worth it to buy any "fancy" brands

ok thank you---tom

I go through about 12 pounds or more a year and have two pounds in stock at all times.
Picking it up for under 7 dollars a pound at the store.
More expensive on line but here is the brand.
https://www.fiestaspices.com/

Oh my, I can't wait to try some of those PB burnt ends. My current smoker is electric and won't consistently heat to 275F in the winter so it might be a while before I can give it a try. I plan to get a new wood smoker but just haven't found the right one yet.

When you make regular burnt ends from a brisket point do you cube it first like you do the pork belly? I usually smoke the whole point until it reaches 165F and then cube it, sauce it with a sweeter style sauce, and then smoke uncovered in a foil pan for another hour or 2.

Lonejack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:11 pm Oh my, I can't wait to try some of those PB burnt ends. My current smoker is electric and won't consistently heat to 275F in the winter so it might be a while before I can give it a try. I plan to get a new wood smoker but just haven't found the right one yet.

Honestly, Jack, you probably wouldn't need to keep them on the smoker for the duration of the cook (5.5-6 hours). The initial 3 hours is the only time they're uncovered and exposed to the smoke. You'd just want to get a nice bark/crust started on there, and to infuse a little smoke flavor. The second half of the cook could probably be done in the oven, at a consistent temperature, and you'd probably get the same final result

Lonejack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:11 pmWhen you make regular burnt ends from a brisket point do you cube it first like you do the pork belly? I usually smoke the whole point until it reaches 165F and then cube it, sauce it with a sweeter style sauce, and then smoke uncovered in a foil pan for another hour or 2.

Yeah, that's how I do my brisket burnt ends too. I haven't smoked a point on it's own yet (I've only done whole packer briskets), but I do smoke it first, then separate from the flat, then cube it up to finish them

Mike - that makes sense. I did that with my TG turkey...I gave it smoke for the first 3 hours at 225F and then finished it in the oven. I went to a Mexican market the other day to get some tamales and they had some real nice looking pork bellies. Much meatier than the PBs I usually buy at the Asian market.

I'm over here
I checked two stores and only found PB that looked like the hog was on a diet. Too thin for me, I had to settle for a cut piece that had some thickness and this was the only one worth buying.

But I found a rack of beef back ribs to cheer me up. I might even fire up the offset, maybe. Should I make a video too?

Rajun Gardener wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 6:18 pmShould I make a video too?

You know what I'm gonna say

Yes, I really like your video's !!

We haven't planned a whole meal yet but I'm starting with PB burnt ends using Kosmo's Dirty Bird Hot and Three Little Pigs Touch of Cherry rub.

It's a little over 4lbs and should be more than enough, I think I'll save some before adding sauce to add to beans! I trimmed some of the thicker fat and put in the freezer for sausage later.

Yummy !

I finally finished them and these are a treat, This is not a treat you want to binge on but a few bites and it's like Heaven with a heart attack lurking.
After 3 hours of smoke at 250

I used the Cherry rub for the brown sugur, it had enough sugar in it. I lightly coated it with honey and squeeze butter in the blue bottle. I wrapped it and back on the pit for and hour.

After sauces and back on for 15 minutes to set.


Pork candy but to rich to eat more than a few.