Pork belly burnt ends on a pellet grill are made by cubing skinless pork belly, seasoning it, and smoking low and slow until a dark, flavorful bark forms. The pieces are then braised in butter, brown sugar, and honey until tender, sticky, and caramelized.
How To Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Cube skinless pork belly into 1–2 inch pieces
- Season generously with BBQ rub
- Smoke on a pellet smoker until bark forms
- Transfer to a pan with butter, brown sugar, and honey
- Braise until tender and caramelized
Recipe For Pork Belly Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill
I have made this recipe many times and everytime to come out perfect.
Eddie’s Tip! I have found out that cutting the pork belly into cubes of about an inch and a half gives me the best result.
What I Used For This Recipe
I have made this recipe in the past on my Pit Boss and Traeger pellet smoker, and offset smoker also.
Making pork belly burnt ends is neither hard nor complicated.
Step 1: Cut the pork belly into 1 or 2-inch cubes.
Step 2: Rub them with some olive oil to make the rub stick better.
Step 3: Season them heavily with your favorite pork rub.
Step 4: Place them on a wire rack on a 225°F pellet grill.
Step 5: Cook them for about 2 hours or to internal 165°F
Step 6: Move them to an aluminum pan and add brown sugar, honey, and chunks of butter.
Step 7: Cover with aluminum foil and put back on the smoker.
Step 8: Smoke to 203 – 205 internal.
Step 9: Pour off the juices and cook open for about 10 minutes.
Eddie’s Tip! All that is left now is to serve and eat with your favorite side dish.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill
Equipment
- 1 Pellet Smoker
- 1 Aluminum foil pan Stainless steel pan
- 1 Aluminum foil Heavy Duty
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp Olive oil
- 8 Tbsp Pork BBQ rub
- 6 Tbsp Brown sugar
- 1/2 Stick Butter
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into cubes
- Rub with olive oil
- Season heavily with BBQ pork rub
- Smoke on a wire rack at 225°F for about 2 hours. Till internal 165°F
- Add cubes to the pan and add butter, brown sugar, and honey
- Smoke covered for about an hour at 225°F till internal 203°F
- Smoke uncovered for 10 minutes
Notes
Pork belly burnt ends on a pellet grill are made by cubing skinless pork belly, seasoning it, and smoking low and slow until a dark, flavorful bark forms. The pieces are then braised in butter, brown sugar, and honey until tender, sticky, and caramelized.
How To Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Cube skinless pork belly into 1–2 inch pieces
- Season generously with BBQ rub
- Smoke on a pellet smoker until bark forms
- Transfer to a pan with butter, brown sugar, and honey
- Braise until tender and caramelized
Recipe For Pork Belly Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill
I have made this recipe many times and everytime to come out perfect. I have made this recipe in the past on my Pit Boss and Traeger pellet smoker, and offset smoker also.Recipe For Pork Belly Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill
Making pork belly burnt ends is neither hard nor complicated. Step 1: Cut the pork belly into 1 or 2-inch cubes. Step 2: Rub them with some olive oil to make the rub stick better. Step 3: Season them heavily with your favorite pork rub. Step 4: Place them on a wire rack on a 225°F pellet grill. Step 5: Cook them for about 2 hours or to internal 165°F Step 6: Move them to an aluminum pan and add brown sugar, honey, and chunks of butter. Step 7: Cover with aluminum foil and put back on the smoker. Step 8: Smoke to 203 – 205 internal. Step 9: Pour off the juices and cook open for about 10 minutes. Serve and eat!Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill – My Experience
I have made burnt ends on many brand pellet smokers and slowly perfected the recipe to my personal liking. Eddie van Aken – The Grilling DutchmanNutrition
Burnt Ends On A Pellet Grill – My Experience
I have made burnt ends on many brand pellet smokers and slowly perfected the recipe to my personal liking.
Eddie’s Tip! Here are some things I have learned about making pork belly burnt ends.
- Cut the cubes into cubes of the same size for even cooking.
- Use a wire rack to put the cubed pork belly on. This is to get more smoke flavor.
- In the past, I used aluminum foil pans. I have changed to stainless steel pans, and that saved me a lot of money in the long run.
- Use the best quality aluminum foil you can afford
Pork Belly FAQ Questions and Answers
I know that when I started making pork belly, I had a ton of questions. Here you can find some of them with the answers.
How long does it take to cook pork belly on a pellet smoker?
Cooking pork belly on a pellet smoker takes, on average, about 4 to 5 hours.
What temperature do you cook pork belly burnt ends on a pellet smoker?
The best temperature to cook pork belly is 225 to 250°F
Do you flip pork belly when smoking?
NO, you don’t need to flip pork belly when smoking.
What are common mistakes when cooking pork belly?
Common mistakes when cooking pork belly are braising them to fast at a high temperature. This will make them tough.
Does pork belly get more tender the longer you cook it?
Yes, pork belly gets more tender the longer you cook it. However, too long can make it mushy.
Best Served With:
- Corn on the cob
- Baked beans
- Broccoli salad
Eddie van Aken – The Grilling Dutchman
Eddie van Aken is the founder of The Grilling Dutchman, where he teaches practical, no-nonsense BBQ and outdoor cooking. With years of hands-on experience working with grills, smokers, and live fire, he focuses on techniques that actually work in real backyards.
When he’s not cooking, Eddie tests and reviews outdoor gear and equipment for PracticalBackyard.com. Learn more about Eddie van Aken.