First try at pork belly burnt ends

Wooderson

First time running with these.  Simple pork rub: paprika, garlic and onion powder, sugar, dill, cumin, salt and pepper. Cooked at 250 for two hours, went to aluminum pan with brown sugar and honey, covered and on for another 2.  Pulled off and glazed with apple juice, BBQ sauce and apricot jelly.  Meat candy.  I wish the fat had rendered down a bit more though.  I may try higher heat or longer first stage.  I don't think it would melt down once it went to pan.  Thoughts?

thetrim

They look awesome.

THEBuckeye

Fun cook and a real crowd pleaser!

I've done it a couple times w/ Malcom Reed's recipe:

http://howtobbqright.com/2017/04/17/pork-belly-burnt-ends/

Wooderson

Yup, that's what I followed.  I didn't have the premix rub so I just improvised.  It is amazing how you can taste the different facets of the flavors

RajunCajun

Nice job!  Kids usually love the meat candy. 

GoooDawgs

Did you cook the belly for awhile before you cubed it up?  Or did you cube first and the 2 hrs started then?  

lousubcap

Great cook and that recipe is a winner.  
I make the cubers slightly smaller when I do them.  FWIW-

Wooderson

Cubed, rubbed, started the smoker, hour later I put the cubes on

SmokingPiney

Winner!

Great cook. 

ElkhornHusker

May try this cook on Saturday 

zman51

Question on the PB ends. I tried Malcom's recipe once and my wife and I thought it was just too much fat which means a lot for me! Did I not cook long enough or maybe just an extra fatty slab sold to me?

thx

Wooderson

Zman, that's why I thought maybe a longer cook or a higher temp to melt away some more fat.  Thought about raising to 275 and going an extra hour

SmokingPiney

I cook the pork belly whole at 250 until it reaches about 170 IT. I cube, rub, sauce, and put it back on at 275 for about 2 hours or more. Sometimes it takes a while to render the fat. After a couple of hours, I start sampling to see where they're at. 

pgprescott

I have converted to using country ribs or just pork butt for the burnt ends. It way easier to execute, takes far less time and produces delicious results. Maybe not as great as the best belly ones , but far more consistent. Keep at it.   

SmokingPiney

pgprescott said:

I have converted to using country ribs or just pork butt for the burnt ends. It way easier to execute, takes far less time and produces delicious results. Maybe not as great as the best belly ones , but far more consistent. Keep at it.   

I need to try that. 

SmartyPantz

I need to try these before Jan. 1st when the new years resolutions kick in

CigarCityEgger

Man those look killer!

zman51

thanks for the tips, I will try a longer cook next time.

zman51

SmokingPiney said:

I cook the pork belly whole at 250 until it reaches about 170 IT. I cube, rub, sauce, and put it back on at 275 for about 2 hours or more. Sometimes it takes a while to render the fat. After a couple of hours, I start sampling to see where they're at. 

Once you cube them, are you putting in a pan or back direct on rack?

SmokingPiney

zman51 said:

SmokingPiney said:

I cook the pork belly whole at 250 until it reaches about 170 IT. I cube, rub, sauce, and put it back on at 275 for about 2 hours or more. Sometimes it takes a while to render the fat. After a couple of hours, I start sampling to see where they're at. 

Once you cube them, are you putting in a pan or back direct on rack?

In a pan. Sorry, I should have said that in my post. 

pgprescott

I would offer that if you are looking for more rendering, you could cube them up right out of the gate. This will increase the surface area and promote further rendering. I would put them on a rack with a pan under them so the are not steeping in their own renderings. 2 cents tendered.