Beef Belly Burnt Ends

dbCooper · February 10

This was my first time with a beef belly, the tried and true info in this post was used for guidance . . . https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1212345/pork-belly-burnt-ends-malcom-reed-with-sea2skis-adaptation/p1 Thanks to @lousubcap and @Sea2Ski

Ingredients were modified as shown below . . .

Ingredients:
    8lb Pork Belly skin removed 5lb Beef Belly skin removed
    ½ cup Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub ½ cup Spicy Dizzy Dust BBQ Rub
    1 ½ sticks Butter sliced
    ½ cup Brown Sugar ½ cup Maple Syrup
    ¼ cup Honey
Pork Belly Burnt End Glaze:
    1 cup Killer Hogs The BBQ Sauce 1 cup Blues Hog Competition BBQ Sauce
    ¼ cup Apple Juice ¼ cup Cherry Coke
    ¼ cup Apple Jelly ¼ cup Chokecherry Jam
    1 Tablespoon Frank’s Hot Sauce 1 Tablespoon Contigo Hot Sauce

Cubed the belly into approx 1.5" squares and seasoned with the Dizzy Dust. On to the Egg for the smoking phase. Cherry wood chunks, temp 260ish . . .

Smoking done after about two hours, into the covered braising pan for about 2.5 hours . . .

Got the glaze ready while braising was going on . . .

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/cr/4trhoffip77j.jpg

Braising done, drained (and saved) the liquid, then glaze applied and back onto the Egg at about 325 for 20 min or so to firm up the glaze . . .. . .

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/4o/qujrkjyhlszo.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/7z/st3sl7r5c3iv.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/yl/p5n8df38q245.jpg

All done . . .

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/5x/65ize5pwbp7n.jpg

No plated pics, these were made as an appetizer to take to the neighbors pot luck. They were well liked and none came home with me. Personally I thought they were good, but pork belly is better.

johnmitchell · February 10

Great detailed post and they look fantastic. I can believe nothing came home!!

Mark_B_Good · February 10

Looks fantastic, and I'm thinking they tasted fantastic.
Were they tender?

shtgunal3 · February 10

Whoa!!!!!

Canugghead · February 10

Great thinking out-of-the-belly cook and pictorial. Some of us can use a tutorial on posting pics in the right sequence!

Also, how about a Beef vs. Pork head to head

Ribs -
Belly -
Chuck/Blade -
Tail -
Anus -
Liver -
Paws -
Heart -
Tongue -

lkapigian · February 10

Bombdiggity!!

dbCooper · February 10

@Mark_B_Good - They were very tender, I think the extended braising phase is the key for beef and pork bellies. On a negative note, there was a internal horizontal membrane present in all the pieces. It did not render and was tough and inedible. Hoping others can shed light on if this is typical of all beef bellies.

Stormbringer · February 10

Nice!

Canugghead · February 10

dbCooper said:

@Mark_B_Good - They were very tender, I think the extended braising phase is the key for beef and pork bellies. On a negative note, there was a internal horizontal membrane present in all the pieces. It did not render and was tough and inedible. Hoping others can shed light on if this is typical of all beef bellies.

Given the proximity of ribs to belly, and taking a closer look at your first pic, perhaps there's a membrane similar to rib membrane?

lousubcap · February 10

Great documentation and cook right there. Appreciate your honest assessment regarding the comparison to pork belly burnt ends. Obvious why none made it home!

cmac610 · February 10

They look fabulous!

alaskanassasin · February 10

Looks amazing! What a treat!

caliking · February 11

Pretty sure I could clear my schedule, and eat all of that.

RRP · February 11

Way to shine!!! Just wondering here...after you egged them and not before could you have identified that membrane and cut it out? I know that would have doubled the number of pieces by making them thinner so probably have to shorten the brazing time, but so be it.

lkapigian · February 11

My two cents ( and I’ve never done beef belly, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express ) is it seems like an awful quick cook even with the braise to break down the connective tissue ( if any in there ) wondering if keeping whole vs cubing ( uncooked ) to extend then cube and braise … I know with my bacon burnt ends I sous vide for up to a day before smoking, I do cube before smoking but after the bath

my thought is the protein, when cubed , will become tender long before proper rendering… either way a solid cook and I will be ordering a belly to give it a go

bluebird66 · February 11

Those look fantastic!

dbCooper · February 11

@Canugghead @RRP @lkapigian - Thanks for commenting with your thoughts about the internal "membrane". Before the cook I did some searching on how to make burnt ends with this cut, did not find much info so I used the pork belly method for a guide. Although my results were good (ignoring the membrane) it's certainly possible the method used is wrong.

Post cook I've tried to find info on beef belly composition, have not found anything about connective tissue or membranes. The highlighted parts in this pic best shows the nasties I had, it is after the braising step.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/22/pw3aj8a8qjfb.jpg

lkapigian · February 11

dbCooper said:

@Canugghead @RRP @lkapigian - Thanks for commenting with your thoughts about the internal "membrane". Before the cook I did some searching on how to make burnt ends with this cut, did not find much info so I used the pork belly method for a guide. Although my results were good (ignoring the membrane) it's certainly possible the method used is wrong.
Post cook I've tried to find info on beef belly composition, have not found anything about connective tissue or membranes. The highlighted parts in this pic best shows the nasties I had, it is after the braising step.

IMO that is connective tissue ( broad term ), membrane lines body cavities ( think membrane on ribs ) I would think that is simply a time issue …

Canugghead · February 11

^^^this. We also call it 'muscle' (in loose term). It's a delicacy, we trim it out and cook with liquid in IP or for hours in thermopot, like tendon.

lkapigian · February 11

Gambrel Cord is delicious

Mark_B_Good · February 12

lkapigian said:

dbCooper said:

@Canugghead @RRP @lkapigian - Thanks for commenting with your thoughts about the internal "membrane". Before the cook I did some searching on how to make burnt ends with this cut, did not find much info so I used the pork belly method for a guide. Although my results were good (ignoring the membrane) it's certainly possible the method used is wrong.
Post cook I've tried to find info on beef belly composition, have not found anything about connective tissue or membranes. The highlighted parts in this pic best shows the nasties I had, it is after the braising step.

IMO that is connective tissue ( broad term ), membrane lines body cavities ( think membrane on ribs ) I would think that is simply a time issue …

Yeah that's why I asked if they were tender ... because low and slow, and bringing to 200F would have likely tenderized all that, as it does with beef plate ribs.

lkapigian · February 12

@Mark_B_Good I’m going to give it a go and try and stretch the time , or sous vide then smoke , will report back

RRP · February 12

lkapigian said:

Gambrel Cord is delicious

I see what you did there!

Beef Belly Burnt Ends

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