Making Pork Belly Burnt Ends in an Oven

This pork belly burnt ends in the oven is a treat that every BBQ lover craves.

This mouth-watering recipe for pork belly burnt ends in an oven is simple to make with minimal prep, and every bite is flavor-packed.

It is enough to serve up to 10 people, Pork belly burnt ends are perfect for feeding a crowd, and you will learn how to make them in an oven.

What Are Burnt Ends?

As you might be aware, the term “burnt ends” refers to the dense and tough ends of a piece of meat that has been slow-smoked.

Normally they are a bit chewy and drier after cooking, making them completely perfect to drench with spicy barbecue sauce and cook a second time to soften it.

You are going to go nuts over decadent pork belly burnt ends, particularly if you love classic beef brisket burnt ends.

As you know, they are similar to beef; these pieces of smoked meat are thick and meaty but with a bit more tender and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

What Is Pork Belly?

As you might wonder, is pork belly exactly what it sounds like? Well, it is.

It is the layered, fatty meat obtained from the belly area of the pig.

It is the same cut of meat as bacon, but has not been cured or smoked and is much thicker.

You will become obsessed with and addicted to pork belly if you love the flavor of bacon.

You can always ask your grocery store butcher if they have any in the back if you are having trouble finding a package of pork belly. Well, there’s a very great chance that they will.

Oven-baked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Even though this dish is worth whatever resources are required to make it, you might not own a smoker, or it might just be too cold to light it up, and yet you are still craving the burnt end.

• Well, no problem, just go ahead and cut the belly into one-inch cubes as normal, then toss with a dry rub of your choice, which could be something as simple as freshly ground black pepper, paprika, and kosher salt.
• After that, place them in an aluminum pan. Simply place it in an oven preheated to 275 degrees F for three hours rather than tossing it into a smoker.
• That being done, spray the pork belly with apple cider vinegar every hour.
• Then, remove the pan, toss the cubes with your favorite barbecue sauce, and return them to the oven for another 30 minutes or so.

However, you might want to ask, Where’s the smoke? That’s a very good question.

You have the option to either include a little liquid smoke along with the spice rub and/or just use smoked paprika.

Keep in mind not to overdo liquid smoke; a little does go a long way, but if used correctly, it is indistinguishable from the real thing.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe

Well, if there’s anything you know about me, you will know how much I love cooking out.

Smoking, grilling, or just using my favorite outdoor griddle, BBQ is just the best.

And when it comes to my favorite BBQ dinners, these pork belly burnt ends are at the top of my list.

They are succulent, juicy, and amazingly full of flavor.

The most interesting part is that pork belly burnt ends hardly require any prep work, and you only have to interact with them once through the whole 3-hour cooking process.

In this guide, you will. learn how to cook pork belly so that it becomes melt-in-your-mouth succulent and delicious.

You will crave making this smoked burnt ends recipe again. After you have a bite, you will get to know why they called these burnt ends “meat candy.” They are just too appetizing.

Making the Best Pork Belly Burnt Ends

With this simple smoked pork belly burnt ends recipe, you will get to learn how to cook pork belly. These burnt ends earn the name “meat candy,” thanks to the fact that they are delicious and smoky.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Resting Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10 people

Equipment

• Oven
• Disposable metal pan

Ingredients

• 5 ½ pounds of cubed or sliced pork belly
• 2 tablespoons of pepper
• 3 tablespoons of paprika
• 1 cup of BBQ sauce
• 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt

Laid-Out Instructions

Just follow the instructions below to learn how to make pork belly in the oven.

However, keep in mind that you won’t get the same smoky flavor that you would get out of a smoker, but you always have the option of adding a little liquid smoke if that’s what you want.

• First, you are to preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Then proceed to grease a baking sheet using a rack with cooking spray.
• After that, you are to place the seasoned cubed pork belly fat side up on the baking sheet rack.
• That being done, add the baking sheet to the oven’s middle rack for 3 hours. You are to spray the pork belly with apple cider vinegar every hour.
• Afterward, remove the pork belly to a deep baking pan or disposable metal pan after 3 hours and toss with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
• When that is done, add the pork belly back to the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Then, allow it to rest for 20 minutes out of the oven. After that, serve and enjoy.

Smoker Instructions

• For this, you are to first preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F. Then, place the pork belly pieces in a disposable metal pan or large bowl.
• After that, get a small bowl and combine salt, pepper, and paprika in it.
• That being done, spray the seasoning mixture over the pork belly pieces and toss to coat.
• Afterward, line the pork belly up on the smoker grate and cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• When that is done, remove the pork belly and place it in a disposable metal pan. Then, toss with BBQ sauce.
• Now, place the pork belly back in the smoker, still in the disposable pan, and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes.
• It’s time to allow the pork belly burnt ends to rest for 20 minutes off the heat before you proceed to serve them. Then, enjoy.

How Can I Keep My Burnt Ends Moist?

Normally, pork belly contains a good amount of fat, but you will certainly need some help to stop the burnt ends from drying out, particularly if you are unlucky enough to find yourself with some very lean meat.

The best way to do this is by getting a clean, food-safe spray bottle, filling it with apple juice, and then spraying the pork every 20 to 30 minutes during the initial 2 hours of cooking.

Doing this will help keep the meat moist and, as a bonus, also add a nice seared layer of flavor.

You might want to give it an occasional spray for this very reason, even if your meat is not too lean.

Final Thoughts

You can just serve your BBQ pork belly as a main dish, then top it with white bread and southern sides.

And I’m sure you will enjoy pairing this scrumptious, meaty smoked pork belly with collard greens, macaroni salad, mac and cheese, and creamy potato salad.

In addition, you have the option of serving this dish as an appetizer with sharp cheddar cheese cubes, pickles, tangy mustard, and Ritz crackers or saltines.

That being said, this brings us to the end of the guide, as you now know how to perfectly make pork belly burnt ends in an oven.