Sweet and savory, crispy but tender, these Pork Belly Burnt Ends are rich, making for an amazing side dish or snack! Seasoned and cooked on the Traeger grill using cherry pellets, this dish packs a ton of flavor. Low and slow is the name of the game here and these savory and saucy bites are every bit worth the wait. All things considered, these juicy and smokey bites of YUMM are pretty hands-off. Dry rub and smoked then tossed in a jam and bbq mix to glaze at the end make this a simple dish worth the time invested.
The grocery list.
- Pork belly – This recipe requires a 7-10lb pork belly. For this dish, you’ll cut your pork belly into cubes.
- Honey Hog seasoning – A spice rub that pairs deliciously with pork belly.
- Apple cider – Apple cider is an ingredient for your glaze. It boosts the fruity flavor of the apricot jam.
- Honey – Honey adds a mouthwatering natural sweetness that blends perfectly with the fatty pork belly.
- BBQ sauce – BBQ sauce brings that amazing smokiness to these Pork Belly Burnt Ends, and cooking them on the Traeger will only further enhance that smoky flavor.
- Apricot jam – The key to the sweetness in these fruity Pork Belly Burnt Ends is the apricot jam.
The preparation.
Cut the pork belly into cubes. Sprinkle the cubed pork belly with the seasoning. Lay the seasoned pork belly cubes on a wire rack and place the rack on a baking sheet. Place in the fridge overnight
When you’re ready to smoke the pork belly, turn the Traeger grill temperature to 250°F. Place the wire rack on the grill grates and smoke for 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F.
Remove the wire rack from the smoker, increase the Traeger smoker temperature to 300°F.
Move the pork belly from the rack to a large heavy duty piece of aluminum foil. Move the edges of the foil up to create a bowl with the pork belly in the center. Add the apple cider and the 1/4 cup of honey. Wrap the ends of the foil tightly. Place the Foil packet on the grill grates and cook at 300°F for 45 minutes.
At the 45 minute mark, open the foil packet. Add the BBQ sauce and apricot jam, toss with tongs. Lastly, drizzle the glazed pork belly with honey. Cook for an additional 20 minutes until glazed.
How to enjoy Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
The best thing about these Pork Belly Burnt Ends is how versatile they are. There are so many ways to enjoy this dish, but if you’re stumped here are some suggestions!
Use them as a salad topper. These Pork Belly Burnt Ends would add a great richness to any salad and can act as a source of fatty protein in your lunch. They pack so much flavor, you can really just enjoy them on top of a bed of greens.
Make pork belly nachos. Now that it’s in your head, you won’t be able to stop thinking about pork belly nachos until you make them. Make a mountain of cheesy nachos with all of your favorite fixings and throw some Pork Belly Burnt Ends on top.
Eat them as a snack. That may sound strange, but I could sit here and eat too many of these. They’re bite-sized, so what’s stopping you from just popping a few into your mouth as a midday snack??
There are really no limitations when it comes to these Pork Belly Burnt Ends. Get creative and let me know how you choose to enjoy this dish!
Looking for more pork recipes?
Here are a few to try:
Moroccan Spiced Pork Butt with Citrus Mint Yogurt
Sheet Pan Nachos with Carnitas & Roasted Pineapple
Santa Maria Pork Loin Roast with Chimichurri
Lastly, if you make this Pork Belly Burnt Ends recipe, be sure to leave a comment! Above all, I love to hear from ya’ll and do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of your dayyyummm good recreations is my favorite!
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Ingredients
- 1 7-10 pound Pork belly
- 4-6 tablespoons honey hog seasoning
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1/4 cup bbq sauce
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into cubes. Sprinkle the cubed pork belly with the seasoning. Lay the seasoned pork belly cubes on a wire rack and place the rack on a baking sheet. Place in the fridge overnight
- When you're ready to smoke the pork belly, turn the Traeger grill temperature to 250°F. Place the wire rack on the grill grates and smoke for 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F.
- Remove the wire rack from the smoker, increase the Traeger smoker temperature to 300°F.
- Move the pork belly from the rack to a large heavy duty piece of aluminum foil. Move the edges of the foil up to create a bowl with the pork belly in the center. Add the apple cider and the 1/4 cup of honey. Wrap the ends of the foil tightly. Place the Foil packet on the grill grates and cook at 300°F for 45 minutes.
- At the 45 minute mark, open the foil packet. Add the BBQ sauce and apricot jam, toss with tongs. Lastly, drizzle the glazed pork belly with honey. Cook for an additional 20 minutes until glazed.
Notes
Use cherry pellets on the Traeger for this recipe. The combination of fruit and pork is perfect and the cherry pellets also help with the red color of the pork belly.