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Pork Belly Burnt Ends are super tender, full of flavor, and so easy to make. This recipe is so delicious and popular that over 24 million people have devoured our viral video and thousands have made this recipe with smashing success! This pork belly recipe is a delicious twist on classic brisket burnt ends. These morsels of goodness have developed the nickname meat candy for good reason.
Vindulge Recipe Highlights
- Cubed Pork Belly is slowly smoked in a brown sugar seasoning, then braised in barbecue sauce, honey, and butter.
- As it finishes the pork belly is rendered into sticky pork cubes that melt in your mouth.
- It doesn’t matter what type of smoker you use, this pork recipe will work on all of them.
- This recipe is a great idea for for a party or large event as it’s always a crowd favorite and scales up or down easily.
Table of Contents
- Vindulge Recipe Highlights
- Origins
- Ingredients
- Preparation for Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- How to Smoke Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Chef Tips
- Storage and Reheating
- What To Serve With Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Wine Pairing for Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Other Great BBQ Recipe Ideas
- Recommended Products
- Food and Cooking Safety Considerations
- Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Origins
The transformation of pork belly into something resembling the classic perfection of beef burnt ends is a pretty magical experience.
And, shortly after I released our video for our recipe, it had over 2 million views in less than 2 days. People loved this recipe! The video now has over 24 million views and counting, and the recipe is also featured in our critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine.
Ingredients
- Pork Belly – You can buy a full belly, which will run around 5 pounds, or you can buy smaller portions. Adjust the braise if using smaller portions. Buy with the skin removed when possible. You can substitute pork shoulder as well if you can’t find the belly.
- Seasoning – We recommend an olive oil binder and our pork rub, which is a mix of brown sugar, kosher salt, and savory spices. You can change the flavor profile with any of our seasonings.
- Braise Sauce – We recommend our Red Wine BBQ Sauce, unsalted butter, and local honey.
Buying Guide
This cut will come in many sizes at the grocery store, from small strips to a full slab (10+ pounds). Make sure to ask the butcher for skinless pork belly (this saves some weight when you have to pay by the pound). If the slab with skin is the only option, then look to be sure it isn’t overly fatty and remove the skin before you make this pork belly recipe.
When buying a smaller belly, be sure it’s the center cut of the slab. One side of the belly is thin and not very meaty. Another end tends to be mostly fat, which is difficult to fully render. So the center cut is ideal as it has a ratio of 50% meat and 50% fat.
Preparation for Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Place the pork belly on a large cutting board.
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. 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 bite sized piece.
Seasoning
Place the cubed pork belly in a large bowl or on a large baking sheet. Apply olive oil and pork seasoning and toss together until well coated.
Be generous (we use about 1 cup of dry rub for 5 pounds of meat). Feel free to adjust the amount based on your portion size.
Place the belly cubes on a wire cooling rack, rather than a baking sheet. Smoking with the wire rack 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 Smoke Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Easy steps for perfect pork belly burnt include smoking for flavor, covering in sauce to baste and render out the fat, and then finishing uncovered to let the sauce firm up.
- Smoke: Place on smoker and smoke for three hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit (F), 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.
- Braise: Next, add the pork belly cubes to a pan (we like a disposable aluminum pan or pyrex dish). Then, into the disposable pan, add the braising liquid. We use our rich Pinot Noir 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.
- Cover and Continue Smoking: Place back into the smoker and braise 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. Braise until the internal temperature of the bites are 200-205 degrees F. We always recommend using a good digital thermometer to check your temp.
- Uncover: Finally, remove the foil cover and cook for another 15 minutes (uncovered) to let the heat tack up that sauce. Remove and enjoy some well-made pork belly burnt ends. It’s that simple. And incredibly delicious!
Oven Modification
To modify for the oven follow the same directions of slowly cooking in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit, then covering with sauce, and finishing as the recipe suggests in the oven at 250 degrees. It will be the same amount of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you cook them all the way through, then the fat will render out and you’ll be left with a delicate and tasty burnt ends that don’t have noticeable fat.
It’s best to use pork belly. If you can’t find belly use boneless pork shoulder.
Yes. Remove the skin as it won’t render during the cooking process and will be chewy when eating. A more effective way is to buy the pork belly with skin off so you aren’t paying for the extra weight.
It will take 5 hours to cook and 15 minutes to finish (uncovered) to let the sauce harden up.
When we cater events we estimate 5 ounces of meat per person for a serving, so you roughly get three servings per pound. Trust us when we say people will want more.
Chef Tips
- Be sure your grease traps are clean. Pork belly will render a lot of fat and if they are blocked you run the risk of a grease fire.
- 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. We mention this again based on a lot of experience and reader feedback.
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Storage and Reheating
You can follow this recipe and make the pork belly in advance up to one week prior to eating them. If you make them in advance be sure to store the pork belly in an airtight container with all of the braising liquid, including the rendered fat.
The fat will harden and that is fine.
To reheat, place in a large baking dish with all the braising liquid and fat and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes. The fat will render and the belly will maintain the soft texture and be warmed through.
You can also reheat the same way on a smoker at lower temps. Plan one hour at 250 degrees F for the pan to warm up.
What To Serve With Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Anytime we make these it’s always a good idea to balance the rich flavors of the pork belly with something not as rich. Our no-mayo coleslaw is perfect, especially if you make these into a sandwich. Or go with our grilled romaine Caesar salad.
You can explore our side recipes for more inspiration.
Wine Pairing for Pork Belly Burnt Ends
While I highly recommend a glass of rosé while cooking this delicious recipe (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, with Syrah!
The flavors here are big and bold. You’ve got the smoke, some richness, sweetness, possibly 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.
Other Great BBQ Recipe Ideas
Recommended Products
- You need an instant read thermometer to take the temperature of the pork belly.
- Food safety gloves for preparation.
Food and Cooking Safety Considerations
Pork belly has a considerable amount of fat that will render. This means you need to be sure that you have a CLEAN smoker and a clear path for the fat to drain AWAY from the fire. The grease from the rendering will ignite if it comes into contact with a flame source. If you are cooking a large amount on a small cooking surface be sure that you are changing out the grease tray during the cook.
For consideration, be sure to follow safe food handling practices. You are cooking the pork belly well over the USDA recommended temperature of 145 degrees F so the finished product is safe to eat.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat and consider using gloves when prepping.
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
Within 48 hours of publishing this viral recipe in 2017 we had over 2 million views, and today is one of the original and most popular pork belly burnt ends recipes on the web with over 24 million views.
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Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Equipment
- 1 nitrile food safety gloves
Ingredients
For the Pork Belly Burnt Ends:
- 5 pounds pork belly, sliced into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Pork Rub, (see notes for our favorite)
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat Smoker: Set smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit using fruit wood (we like cherry for color and sweeter flavor).
- Prepare Pork Belly: Trim excess skin and fat off the pork belly and slice it into 2-inch cubes and place into a large bowl. Add olive oil and dry rub and liberally and mix with your hands. Place cubes onto a wire rack or directly on the smoker.
- Smoke: Smoke uncovered for three hours. Look for a darker red color and a modest bark develop.
- Braise: 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) of the pork belly is roughly 200 – 203 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Finish Smoking Uncovered: Remove foil from the pan, close the lid to the smoker, and smoke for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken up.
- Serve: Remove from smoker and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I raise my own pigs and have some bellies waiting to be cured for bacon. When I saw this recipe, I had to give it a go.
Daniel, that is awesome….and having access to your own pigs is pretty cool. Show us photos on Facebook!
What is “braising”? What temperature is that accomplished at please? This will happen on Father’s day
Paul,
Braising is a technique where you simmer liquid to keep moisture in your meat. In this case you are smoking the protein first, getting flavor and bark and then the braising liquid steps will help in keeping meat moist and rendering out the fat so you get a tender flavor. It also adds that liquid flavor into the meat.
I have an indoor smoker and did the recipe with a smoldering hickory! It was to die for! Served with grilled Zellwood corn and greens… Petite Syrah for spice!
That sounds awesome!!!
These are in our smoker right now! Can’t wait to try them! Had a tough time finding pork belly, and every single butcher asked “what do you want THAT for???” – LOL!
Wohoo! We love to hear that! That’s hilarious about your butcher. You should have responded, “To make delicious morsels of smoked pork perfection, that’s what!” 😉
Followed the recipe exactly – turned out perfectly! A lot meatier than I would have guessed! Will definitely make again for future family gatherings and parties!! Husband, son, and I all agreed the leftovers would be amazing in stir-fried rice!! Thank you!
So happy to hear this! And I LOVE the idea of the stir fry. That sounds like an excellent use for the leftovers!
I’ve got this on the smoker right now! Another half hour and it will be ready. Looks and smells delicious. Serving it as a meal over rice with a salad on the side. Everyone’s mouth has been watering for hours. Can’t wait! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. Also thanks for your patience responding when everyone asks the same questions over and over. Much admiration as I was about to have a meltdown just reading them! Thanks for your great work!!
Chad thanks so much. Let us all know how it turned out and email us a photo or post on our Facebook page!!!! I know folks may be looking for various tips or feedback not in the actual post, so I do want to take the time and respond to folk on the questions. Then over time, I’ll be sure to update with a FAQ.
I do a fair amount of smoking year round, even though I live where the ‘normal’ season is short (Northern Vermont) and I came across this recipe and I can’t believe I haven’t tried this before. You can bet this is on my list very soon, I will have to come back and give an update when I DO make it. This sounds terrific, “meat candy deliciousness”!
I’ve had pork belly in a restaurant before (Korean style) and it was good, but this takes it to a whole new level…stay tuned!
So glad you found this! Yes, please report back with your feedback on the recipe! We hope you love it 🙂
I rubbed mine with pure maple sugar and dark grade b syrup from the sugar shack up the road from the house, then I seasoned with, ONO Hawaiian seasoning, black pepper and garlic. Vacuum packed and plan on cooking tomorrow.. wish me luck
And I got my belly from a local hoof to table farm here by the compound..
Ken that sounds amazing! Did you use the maple syrup as a slather or did you go a little heavier? Curious how that caramelizes during the smoke. We love using maple syrup in glazes with fish and some pork dishes as well. Yum!!!
I’ve found a good deal on pork belly but it has the skin on and it’s not in a store where I can ask to have it removed. Do you have instructions for removing the skin? I’ve heard it’s not easy.
LuAnne, getting the skin off can be very tedious. I would start with a very sharp boning or filet knife…a narrow shorter blade you can use with precision. Next grab paper towel, and use that to grip the skin which can be wet. After pulling on a corner of the meat, cut just under the tough skin and try and separate from the good fat. Continue to pull back on skin while you make the slow cuts parallel to the skin. After you do that, go back and trim off the extra fat. You will see this slimy fat that needs to come off versus the more dense white fat cap that you do want to render out. Then you are good to cut and season. Likely there are some videos out there as well.
I cut the skin off of mine after cubing it. Pretty easy. Can’t rate it yet as I am in the braising stage still an hour away from eating but—when of mixed it with the pinot noir BBQ sauce mixture, it seems a bit on the rubbery side. Hope that changes in the braise.
Frank, feel free to FB Messenger us too for more real time update – but if it still rubbery, let it go longer in the braise. Or you can remove from braise and let continue for another 30 minute to an hour. Likely the pork is still temping at 170 – 180 internal temp right now. Once it hits 200 you will find it gets to the melt in the mouth texture.
If you don’t have a Costco card try and find an Asian market. The larger ones will usually have Pork Belly at their meat counter.
Thanks, Dave! A few others have suggested Asian markets as a good place to find pork belly too! Good suggestion.
Where can I get pork belly?
Stephanie, look for pork belly at Costco. We buy through a local butcher, but I know Costco sells it. If you don’t have a Costco or similar box store, check your local butcher as they can usually get it special ordered.
Sams club carries them as well
Scott thanks for sharing!
Did everything the same way. Way to much fat for me. Why would you ever do this. Never do it again!
Danst so sorry this was your experience. So many variables can go into the cut of pork belly and the fat content, as well as the cooking scenarios (wind, weather, etc). While we can’t anticipate everything, we do like all feedback to help along the way. If it felt too fatty when you finished, it may be that an hour or more uncovered may have been needed, or extra time in the bath to let the fat render out as that is what sounds like the issue, the fat may not have totally rendered out which I agree will cause the meat and texture to be chewy and an unpleasant texture.
I get it at sams mostly. However. International markets have it too. That is where I first found it.