Pork Belly Burnt Ends - the step by step process
Pork belly is one of the most inexpensive pieces of meat you can get. It's the magical stuff bacon is made from. I have always thought about making bacon, but the curing process is pretty intense, so for me the next best things is burnt ends.
What are "Burnt Ends"?
Usually burnt ends refers to the point of a beef brisket that gets caramelized and crispy. It's sweet and savory balance makes it a true a BBQ delicacy. However, today, I'm cooking pork, not beef but I still wanted to get that crispy, yummy, sweet, savory bite that can be describe in no other way than, MEAT CANDY.
Smoking the Belly
This is where you'll be spending most of your time and energy. Slather the belly up with regular yellow mustard on both sides and cover it with your favorite pork rub. My friend Charlie hooked me up with Melissa Cookston's recipe on Food Network's website. It's a keeper. I use this on just about every pork smoke I make, including pulled pork and ribs. I make it in double batches and keep it in a sealed container. The turbinado sugar is the key so don't skimp on that!
Place the belly fat side up in a 275 degree smoker and get it up to 175 degrees. This took about 4 1/2 hours.
Slice it up
Take the belly out of the smoker and slice it into 1" thick slices. You'll notice I didn't bother to let the meat rest this time. That's because I'm trying to get a crispy burnt end and not a pull apart pork.
After I sliced it, then I cut it into 1x1" chunks and placed it into a couple of aluminum pans. I covered the pans with foil and poked a couple of holes in the bottom of the pans to let the grease drain out. I put them back in the smoker for another hour.
Who's a Good Girl?
“Good dogs, end up getting a few scraps saved for them for later.”
Because who can resist this face???
Remove the Foil
Let those fully cooked, tender chunks of pork crisp up. Remove the foil and increase the heat in the smoker to 350 degrees. I just kept an eye on these until they got to my desired crispy-meets-candy texture.
The End Result
100% Meat Candy.
Comments