Pork Belly Burnt Ends


(Central Florida Bob ) #1

In the barbecue world, burnt ends are usually made from the more tender and fatty portion of the beef brisket called the point. The point is removed from the other portion (the flat), cubed, rubbed, coated with barbecue sauce and smoked some more. The dish is considered a delicacy.

Jeff Phillips, who runs the Smoking Meat Forums as a side to his business selling barbecue rubs, cookbooks and such, put out a recipe that I based this on.

1 pork belly - this is based on the one I found that was about 3-1/2 pounds
1 cup G Hughes sugarfree barbecue sauce
1/2 cup Diced, pickled jalapenos (or to taste)
approx 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
approx 1/4 cup Wine vinegar
Swerve brown sugar subsitute
Granulated garlic
Smoked paprika powder

Step 1: Remove the Thick Skin

My preference is to purchase them already prepped and ready but the one I had came with a lot
of belly skin still in place.

If youā€™ve never taken the rind or skin off of a pork belly then you might want to watch a video
or two from YouTube to familiarize yourself with how itā€™s done. The skin was thick and hard to
separate from the muscle, so I got an uneven trim. Too much fat (if there is such a thing) in
places, too lean in others.

Step 2: Slice Into Strips and Cube Them

Strips about an inch wide cut into one inch long pieces. Very approximately.

Step 3: Rub

I made a rub consisting of salt, pepper, garlic, Swerve brown sugar and smoked paprika
powder. Hard to figure quantities so I just dumped stuff until it looked good, and when I ran out,
made some more. If you have a favorite pork rub, use that.

Step 4: 1st Smoke

Place the cubes in a grill basket so that fat can render out and melt into a pan underneath the
basket. Smoke at chamber temperature 225, for about two hours. The object is a good bark.
I used apple, but use your choice of hardwood.
When I pulled the cubes, they had rendered a lot and the internal temperature was about 180.

Step 5: Prepare barbecue sauce

This is really ā€œto tasteā€. Started with half a bottle of G. Hughes sugarfree barbecue sauce because
itā€™s what I have. Added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup each of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce and wine
vinegar. Added about a tablespoon of Swerve brown sugar. Then 1/2 cup diced, pickled jalapenos.

Step 6: Second smoke.

Pour the sauce into an aluminum or other solid baking dish that will fit in the smoker. Add the
pork belly cubes. Roll them around to get them well covered in sauce. Then back into the smoker,
still at 225, for one more hour.

Made two of these dishes.

Jeff is sort of a ā€œone note symphony chefā€ Everything he makes is based on sweetness. I tried to subdue that with wine vinegar, and white vinegar in the jalapeno chunks, but itā€™s a bit sweet. I need to find a way around that should there be a next time.


#2

I hoped there would be a nice pic in the end. And I am not disappointed. Thank you :smiley:

I donā€™t do such complicated dishes yet, I just came to look at the photoā€¦


(Central Florida Bob ) #3

I think Iā€™m supposed to kick at the dirt and sheepishly say, ā€œit wasnā€™t nothingā€ :grin:

Well, as the little steak with a candle says, itā€™s my birthday, and Iā€™ve had the pork belly a couple of months just waiting for something like this. Why not?


(Lazy, Dirty Keto šŸ˜) #4

Looks delicious and happy birthday :tada:


(Central Florida Bob ) #5

Thank you, @beccs.

Pork belly for dinner and some keto cheesecake later. And this WOE is so unsustainable, right?


#6

Happy birthday!
Very nice combo :).