Pork Belly Burnt Ends!

This recipe for pork belly burnt ends is an absolute crowd pleaser! Made from the same cut of meat bacon comes from, these are the perfect blend of sweet, savory and tangy. My customers can’t get enough of them!

What you need:

  • Slab of pork belly
  • 2 Cups of your favorite dry rub
  • 1 Cube of butter
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • ½ cup Honey
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Cutting Board
  • Large Mixing Bowl

Directions:

  1. If your pork belly still has the skin on, trim this first. Then cut slab of pork belly into 1-2” cubes. I prefer to cut the slab into strips first, and then cut the strips into cubes. Dump the cubes into a large bowl.
  2. Apply dry rub to cubes and mix.
    1. Optional: I use a technique where I add the rub (About 2 cups for 11lbs of pork belly), and then mix by pulling from the bottom. You can see this in my video.
  3. Spread rubbed pork belly cubes on the grates of your smoker.
    1. Optional: I prefer to use a weber grilling rack (Like this one) for convenience and safety (Excess oxygen exposure can lead to a VERY HOT smoker.)
  4. Smoke uncovered at 250-275 for 2-2.5 hours
  5. Remove from smoker and place cubes in a foil tray.
  6. Add brown sugar, butter and honey and cover with heavy duty foil.
  7. Place in smoker for another 2 hours.
  8. Mix your finishing glaze: ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar and ½ cup BBQ sauce
    1. Note: This can be adjusted to taste. Try ¼ cup ACV and ¾ cup BBQ sauce.
  9. Remove pork belly cubes from smoker and drain the juice from the tray.
    1. Optional: Reserve some of the juice for the glaze.
  10. Pour finishing glaze over pork belly in tray and mix.
  11. Smoke uncovered another 10 minutes to let the glaze set.
  12. Enjoy! Try and leave some for your guests.
    1. Note: These make some AMAZING sandwiches. Top with a little coleslaw and a dash of your rub. Heaven.

Smoked Bacon Sausage Peach Shots

Smoked Bacon Sausage Peach Shots are one of my favorite appetizers to make because you can do a lot at once, and the cook time is relatively short.

Quick disclaimer: I suck at food photography. While the photos here do the job, they’re far from being a work of art. I’ll work on it.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Eat Time: ?

Needed for this recipe:

– Bacon- I prefer to use thick cut, but use whatever works for you
– Breakfast Sausage- About 1/2 lbs or so. It’s not an exact science, so your mileage may vary
– Peach Preserves
– Honey Pecan Cream Cheese
– Mini Muffin Tin
– Mini Muffin Liners
– Oil (Optional)

 

Steps:
1) Preheat your smoker to cook at 225.
2) Line the mini muffin tin with the liners.
3) Spray the liners with oil (Optional)
4) Cut your bacon in half.

5) Take half a piece of bacon and wrap it around the outside of the mini muffin tin, forming a cup.

 

 

 

 

6) take a small clump of sausage and press it into the bottom of each cup. Press your finger into the middle to give it a small indent:

 

 

 

 

 

7) Mix your peach preserves and cream cheese into a bowl. I recommend playing with the mixture until you get a flavr you like. My personal preference is to go 2:1 Peach Preserves to cream cheese, but I recommend starting with equal parts until you get your flavor:

 

 

 

 

8) Fill each of the cups to the brim with the peach preserve/cream cheese mixture:

 

 

 

 

9) Place on your smoker and cook at 225 until the bacon is done. This takes about an hour or so:

 

 

 

 

They’re done when the bacon is cooked thoroughly:

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Questions/Comments about this Suggestions for improving this recipe? Shoot me an e-mail- backyardpitmasternet@gmail.com

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