Cooking with Fire Episode 38: Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Josh Cary and Chef Tom Jackson talk a bit about a food with almost no history, pork belly burnt ends, and discuss what makes them so fantastic.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 lb pork belly, skin off
• BBQ Rub (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 6 tbsp wildflower honey, divided
• BBQ Sauce (recipe below)

For the BBQ Rub:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

For the BBQ sauce:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 250°F.

Slice the pork belly into 2” cubes. Rub the cubes with a light coat of oil. Season with the BBQ rub. Transfer to the smoker, leaving space around each cube. Smoke until a mahogany brown bark is formed on the outside, about 3 hours.

Remove the pork cubes from the grill. Place on a sheet of foil in a single layer. Pour the apple juice and 3 tablespoons honey over the pork. Wrap tightly with the foil. Return the foil to the smoker.

Increase the grill temperature to 300°F. Continue cooking until the cubes are very tender, nearly falling apart, about 45 minutes. The internal temperature will be around 205°F-210°F.

While the pork cooks, combine the bbq sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Open the foil packet. Pour about 1/2 cup sauce over the pork burnt ends. Drizzle the remaining 3 tbsp honey over the top as well. Toss gently to coat. Return to the grill and cook until the sauce is tacky, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the smoker and serve warm.