These delicious Pork Belly Burnt Ends can be enjoyed as an appetizer, game day snack or delicious dinner option. They are packed with the most amazing smoky flavor with a crispy outside and juicy inside. Everyone is going to love these!

Smoked Pork Belly Ends

Table of Contents

Pork belly might be one of the most delicious foods ever! It is the same cut of meat that bacon is made from, so how could you go wrong!? It is made up of layers of fat and meat that come from the belly of the pig, pretty much un-cured, un-sliced, and un-smoked bacon. These crispy pork belly burnt ends turned out perfectly on our Traeger pellet smoker, but we have made a whole piece of roasted pork belly in the oven too. If you have one, the smoker is the way to go to make the best pork belly burnt ends recipe you have ever tasted!

Looking for another pork belly recipe? Try our Pork Belly Tacos or this Pork Belly Sandwich – both are all-time favorites!

What You Will Need

pork belly – we are able to find this in the meat section of our grocery store, but if yours doesn’t carry it you should be able to find it at a local butcher shop.
worcestershire sauce & yellow mustard – we love rubbing both of these into all the little nooks and crannies to add so much flavor!
pork dry rub – our homemade dry rub is packed with flavor and so easy to throw together but feel free to use any of your favorites.
bbq sauce – we also have a homemade bbq sauce that you can whip up or grab a smokey bbq sauce from the store.
butter – adds great flavor and perfect for finishing the cooking process.
brown sugar – a nice way to add a touch of sweetness!
apple cider vinegar – just a splash to help round out all the amazing flavors.

How To Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends

The first step to making this pork belly burnt ends recipe is to use a sharp knife to cut your large slab of pork belly into 1-inch cubes.

Large pieces of pork belly on a white plate.

Place the cubed pork belly on a large plate or in a large bowl and coat in worcestershire sauce and then yellow mustard. Make sure you really get both of these ingredients in all the crevices.

Pork belly pieces rubbed down in worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard.

Then mix up the pork dry rub in a small bowl and coat all sides of the pork belly pieces with that dry rub mixture.

Pork belly pieces covered in pork dry rub.

Now line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Place the prepared cubes of pork belly on top of that rack in a single layer.

Seasoned pork belly pieces on a wire rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet.

Place the entire thing on the grates of the smoker at 225 degrees F for about 3-4 hours, toss them once halfway through the smoked process.

Baking sheet of pork belly on the smoker.

Smoked pork belly pieces on the wire rack after cooking for 2-3 hours.

Remove the smoked pork belly ends from the baking sheet and place them in an aluminum foil tray (or disposable pan) with the bbq sauce, butter, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Toss to fully combine, cover with foil, and move it back on to the smoker for another 1-2 hours or until their internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer!

Pork belly pieces in an aluminum foil tray with butter, brown sugar, bbq sauce, and apple cider vinegar.

Remove the foil cover, increase the temp to 300 degrees F on the smoker, and continue smoking for another 15-30 minutes.

Fully cooked pork belly burnt ends in an aluminum tray.

Remove the pork belly bites from the smoker and let them rest for 10 minutes. Give the tender pork belly a toss and serve!

How Should I Serve Pork Belly Burnt Ends

You could simply serve these as an appetizer at your next 4th of July celebration or Sunday game day alongside some other delicious game day snacks. Or make them at your next backyard cookout as a main dish with some smoked baked beans, smoked corn on the cob, or smoked potatoes if you want to make everything right on your smoker! We also love them with some creamy coleslaw and a slice of cornbread!

Pork belly burnt ends on parchment paper on a tray for serving.

Recipe FAQ

Pork belly burnt ends rub: as stated in the recipe card, we used our homemade pork rub, but you can also find a variety of pork rubs at your local grocery store.
What kind of wood to use: we used mesquite pellets, but you could also use hickory, cherry wood, or any of the fruit woods would also be great!
Saucy meat: the amount of bbq sauce is totally up to you. If you like them more saucy then add more and if you don’t want them as saucy, use less.
Reheating: if you plan to reheat any leftovers the next day, we suggest warming them in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. This will help keep some of the crispness.

Pinterest image for pork belly burnt ends.

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Other Pork Recipes You Might Like

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

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Author: Erin Jensen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 32 servings 1x
Category: Appetizer
Method: Smoker
Cuisine: American

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Description

Pork Belly Burnt Ends – a delicious and easy pork belly burnt ends recipe that is perfect for game day, 4th of July or any get-together!

Ingredients

Scale

4 lbs pork belly, cut into 1 inch chunks
2–3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2–3 tablespoons yellow mustard
3 tablespoons pork dry rub*
1 1/4 cup bbq sauce**
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

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Instructions

Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.
Place pork belly cubes on a large plate or in a large bowl. Drizzle with worcestershire and toss to lightly coat (use more if needed). Repeat with yellow mustard and then the dry rub.
Prepare a foil-lined baking sheet with a wire rack on top. Place prepared pork belly on top.
Place baking sheet on the smoker for 3-4 hours (tossing halfway).
Move pork belly to an aluminum tray and add bbq sauce, butter, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Toss to combine and cover with foil. Place back on smoker and let cook another 1-2 hours or until the internal temp reaches 200-205 degrees F. Uncover and increase temperature to 300 for 15-30 minutes.
Remove from smoker and let rest 10 minutes. Toss to ensure they are coated again and then serve.

Notes

Cut in Half: this recipe makes enough for a crowd, so feel free to cut everything in half – cook times should stay about the same – feel free to add more bbq sauce, as desired!
*Pork Dry Rub: I love using this pork shoulder dry rub we have on the site, but you can definitely use another pork dry rub if you want.
**BBQ Sauce: I would recommend a smokey bbq sauce of your choice – we do have a homemade bbq sauce on the site if you want to try that!
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Pellets: I used mesquite, but any kind will work!