This pork shoulder burnt ends oven recipe is perfectly delicious, smoky, sticky, and sweet.
This is smoky meat covered in a sticky, tangy-sweet glaze. It does truly taste like meat candy, and it’s my favorite.
I’m rather confident that almost if not everybody loves burnt ends.
To be honest, sometimes you won’t have the time to do a brisket, and pork shoulder burnt ends are so rich that you have to watch how many of those scrumptious morsels you take in.
Then, I came to the understanding that this is the best of both worlds.
Why not use a pork shoulder? It comes with a great fat content that will render down as well as a nice meaty bite of pork.
What Are Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends?
Pork shoulder burnt ends are a barbecue delicacy obtained from cubed pork shoulder, which are normally smoked until they become succulent, then glazed with barbecue sauce, and then smoked again until they are caramelized and full of flavor.
Most times, they are described as the “brisket of pork” thanks to their rich flavor and tender texture.
What Are Burnt Ends?
Originally, burnt ends manifested with brisket. Pitmasters would set aside the dried-out, fatty, overly crunchy parts of the brisket when slicing up their smoked brisket.
As they slowly began to discover that not only did people like them, but they might even like them enough to become their own thing.
That being said, now pitmasters everywhere are taking the tough, fatty point of the brisket and cubing it up midway through the cooking process to maximize the burnt edges and smoky flavor.
The truth is that the process is the same here, excluding the fact that we are using a fatty cut of pork—either a picnic roast or a pork shoulder will do the job perfectly.
Even though this hasn’t been tested, I can guarantee that pork side or pork belly would also be great choices for this pork burnt ends recipe.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
Simple to Make
This method does not require a whole lot of steps and is very difficult to screw up.
You will be rewarded with succulent, juicy meat candy as long as you follow the guidelines for when to wrap and when to remove the pork from the oven.
Inexpensive
Normally, at just around 2 to 3 dollars per pound, pork shoulder is quite inexpensive.
You can get enough servings from a whole pork shoulder to feed 8 people easily.
Different But Better
Well, I don’t know about you, but in my case, I prefer to change things up so I don’t get bored with cooking.
As you might be aware, everyone uses pork butt to make pulled pork; why not just try something different and mouth-watering? And, to be honest, this is way better.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends Prep
For this recipe, you can use a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder. Then, cut the whole pork shoulder into one-by-one-inch cubes.
Make sure you do this by cutting the pork shoulder into large strips first and then paring those strips down into chunks.
As you cut the chunks, you should trim away any loose pieces of fat, and then place the chunks into a large disposable aluminum pan.
Make sure you dust it with half of the barbecue rub after you’ve chunked up the pork shoulder, and then use tongs to toss.
You are to place each of the chunks of pork shoulder on a grill rack. Just forget about the spacing here.
The pork shoulder burnt ends will shrink as they smoke. Ensure you save the aluminum pan, as you will use it again.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends Oven Recipe
This pork shoulder burnt ends oven recipe is a tasty delight, perfect for any barbecue purist.
This recipe transforms a humble pork shoulder into succulent, flavor-packed bites that melt in your mouth.
Even though they are traditionally cooked on a smoker, this oven version yields excellent results, which makes sure that everyone can enjoy this BBQ favorite.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 Ibs of pork shoulder (which is also commonly referred to as pork butt)
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ¼ cup of unsalted butter, cubed
- ¼ cup of BBQ rub
- ½ cup of BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup of honey
Laid-Out Instructions
- First, you are to preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit or 135 degrees Celsius.
- After that, trim the excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut the shoulder into 1 ½ to 2-inch cubes.
- Then, get a large bowl, coat the pork shoulder cubes with the BBQ rub in it, and make sure that each piece is well seasoned.
- That being done, place the seasoned pork cubes in a single layer in a roasting pan or a baking dish. Then, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours, 30 minutes.
- After that, prepare the glaze while the pork is cooking. Then, get a saucepan over medium heat and combine the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, honey, and butter in it. Proceed to stir until the mixture is well combined and the sugar has dissolved. You can now remove it from the heat.
- When that is done, remove the pork from the oven after 2 hours and 30 minutes and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Make sure you drain any excess liquid from the pan, then pour the glaze over the pork cubes. Make sure that they are well coated.
- Now, return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an extra 1 hour, or until the pork is succulent and caramelized.
- Afterward, remove the pork from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes. Then, you can serve it hot and enjoy the rich, smoky flavors of these pork shoulder burnt ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What If I Don’t Have Time to Make the Dry Rub or BBQ Sauce?
You are going to want to make your life a little simpler if you are struggling for time or if it’s just your first go at cooking burnt ends in the oven.
Just use a store-bought pork rub rather than making the dry rub from scratch, or just use that one you’ve had in the cupboard for the last few months.
Use your favorite store-bought one rather than making the BBQ sauce from scratch; you’ve probably already got some in the fridge anyway.
Perfect Tips
Cook In Advance
When made in advance and eaten the next day, this recipe is excellent.
These pork shoulder burnt ends come with fantastic flavor and tenderness, thanks to the cooking process.
I will say that the flavor does get even better after they sit in the fridge for a day.
It then gets ham or bacon-like in flavor and texture. And then I chop them up the next day and load them into tortillas or on top of my smoked mac and cheese.
Shop Around
It is not always easy to find boneless pork shoulders in a traditional grocery store, but I bet you will find some luck at Costco and smaller local shops.
It is certainly not a problem if you can’t find it boneless. Just ensure that you’ve got a knife with a sharp tip.
A pork shoulder bone is large and one piece; it is rather easy to remove at home.
Final Thoughts
These oven-baked pork shoulder burnt ends are a true delicacy, which showcases the finger-licking flavors of barbecue without the need for a smoker.
These burnt ends are sure to be a hit at your next gathering. They are perfectly tender and flavorful, which completes this guide on the “Pork shoulder burnt ends oven recipe.”
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends Oven Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 Ibs of pork shoulder which is also commonly referred to as pork butt
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ¼ cup of unsalted butter cubed
- ¼ cup of BBQ rub
- ½ cup of BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup of honey
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius).
- Next, trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut it into cubes measuring 1 ½ to 2 inches in size.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly coat the pork shoulder cubes with the BBQ rub, ensuring each piece is evenly seasoned.
- Once coated, arrange the seasoned pork cubes in a single layer in a roasting pan or baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- While the pork is cooking, prepare the glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, honey, and butter. Stir until the mixture is well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- After 2 hours and 30 minutes, remove the pork from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Drain any excess liquid from the pan and pour the glaze over the pork cubes, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 1 hour, or until the pork is tender and caramelized to your liking.
- Once done, remove the pork from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy the rich, smoky flavors of these pork shoulder burnt ends while hot.
