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top down view of the pork belly burnt ends in a cast iron skillet with green onion and rice to accompany it.
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Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

These smoked pork belly burnt ends are tender, smoky, and coated in a sticky-sweet barbecue glaze with rich caramelized edges. Slow smoked until perfectly soft with a flavorful bark, they make an irresistible appetizer.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Smoking Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 924kcal
Author Jason

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • BBQ Grill

Ingredients

Pork Belly

  • 2 lbs Pork Belly cut into 1" cubes
  • 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Canola Oil

BBQ Rub

  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp Chili Powder

Sauce

  • 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 3 tbsp BBQ Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Butter salted, melted
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • Green Onions as garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the smoker or grill to 225℉. If you are using a grill, set it up for indirect heating.
  • Coat the pork belly cubes with the yellow mustard. This will serve as a binding agent for the dry rub, and you won't taste the mustard when it is done.

Dry Rub

  • Mix all of the ingredients for the rub together in a Ziploc bag.
  • Add the mustard-coated pork belly to the Ziploc bag and shake it until all of the pork belly cubes are evenly coated with the rub.
  • Grease the bottom of the cast iron skillet with canola oil.
  • Place the pork belly in a single layer in the greased cast iron skillet.

Making the Sauce

  • Mix the brown sugar, BBQ sauce, honey and melted butter in a small bowl.

Smoking

  • Place the skillet on the smoker, close the lid, and let it smoke for about two hours.
  • After about two hours, check the pork belly. It should be dark with a nice bark. If it is, pour the sauce into the skillet and move the pork belly cubes around to get them evenly coated in the sauce.
  • If the pork belly isn't dark, close the lid and check it again after it has more time to smoke.
  • Once the meat is evenly coated with the sauce, increase the temperature to 250℉ and smoke it for another 50-70 minutes.
    • Turn the meat periodically to keep it coated with the sauce. It will result in an amazing, sticky coating that is out-of-this-world delicious!
  • Remove from the smoker and serve it warm!

Notes

  1. To add a little bit of heat to the recipe, add ⅛ tsp of cayenne pepper to the rub.  This complements the sweetness of the honey.
  2. Save yourself some energy and use a disposable aluminum pan instead of the cast iron skillet. Just throw it away when you are done.
  3. I really like a mild fruit wood for the smoke, and I have a full post and printable on choosing the best wood for your smoking.
  4. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  If your family is anything like mine, there won't be any leftovers!

Nutrition

Calories: 924kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 87g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 777IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg