If you have barbecued or grilled enough you probably heard of brisket burnt ends. Those sweet nuggets of joy are cut from the point muscle on a whole brisket. There is no way to eat just one, and when started, it’s hard to stop. Since brisket is time-consuming and a challenging cut of meat, it isn’t often that you can enjoy these delicious morsels.
Well, to fill the void, try pork belly burnt ends. Now, some of you may say “pork belly”, yuk! It is simply uncured/un-smoked bacon. Even though they are easier to make than brisket and takes a lot less time, they are by no means inferior or a poor second. They are absolutely delicious and anyone can make them even if you have limited smoking/grilling experience. You do not have to own a smoker to achieve great results. The process can be done on your gas grill as well (see below). So, give this one a whirl as an adder to other smoked or grilled meats you plan to serve. Guaranteed, your guest will love them.
Purchasing pork belly:
- Can be purchased at Costco or at a local butcher
- Sizes will vary but at Costco they measure approximately 15″ x 12″ (this is plenty for a good size gathering as an appetizer).
Ingredients
- Pork Belly Slab
- 1/4 cup Heath Riles Sweet Seasoning
- 1/2 cup Heath Riles Sweet BBQ Sauce
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 1/4 lb. Butter
- 1/4 cup Apple Juice
Directions
Cut Pork belly into 1″ pieces.
Apply sweet seasonings making sure all sides are coated evenly. Put chunks on a rack and put in the smoker (for gas grill, use indirect cooking process – see below).
Cook at 275 for approx 2hrs. or till tender Remove pieces from the rack and place in a pan and add butter, brown sugar, honey, and apple juice.
Cover and cook for another 1 1/2hrs. Move burnt ends into a clean pan and add a sweet BBQ sauce. Toss to coat. Return to smoker/grill for 10-20min to thicken the sauce.
That’s It!
This recipe can be done on a gas grill or even in the oven. You add smoke in your gas grill by using wood chips, pellets or a pellet tube. On a gas grill light 1 or 2 burners to achieve a temperature of 275 degrees and place the meat over the unlit burner(s).