These pork shoulder burnt ends are a perfect little porky bite of BBQ goodness. They are one of the tastiest things you will ever make on your smoker.
They are filled with flavor and slow-smoked to give them an excellent exterior bark. I suggest that you try these at your next party or weekend BBQ.
In my opinion, for anyone with a smoker or pellet grill, these pork shoulder burnt ends are a must-make recipe.
Burnt ends are normally made with cuts of meat that are best cooked low and slow, such as pork belly, chuck roast, and brisket, or in this case, pork butt, which is another name for pork shoulder.
However, remember that the pork shoulder is not nearly as fatty as brisket or pork belly but still becomes nice and tender.
How Burnt Ends Came About
Burnt ends came from Kansas City. Originally, the brisket point would build a heavy bark (which makes it look burnt), and that section of the brisket comes with a much higher fat content compared to the point, which makes it undesirable for some customers.
A lot of restaurants used to give those burnt ends away for free until a Kansas City native by the name of Calvin Trillin popularized the part of brisket in his 1972 Playboy article.
The burnt ends took on a new form as time passed and were coated in a thick, sweet, sticky sauce and then placed back on the smoker for another hour or two to caramelize.
This will yield a salty, sweet, and tasty piece of beef that is now regarded as a delicacy in the barbecue world.
Even though many barbecue lovers will argue that it should only be called a burnt end if it is made from brisket, people have started creating their own versions of a “burnt end” out of any and every type of protein imaginable.
What Are Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends?
Pork shoulder burnt ends are a barbecue delicacy that is made from the flavor-packed, marbled meat of the pork shoulder.
Normally, pork shoulder, which is also commonly referred to as pork butt, is cut into cubes, seasoned with a dry rub, smoked low and slow until succulent, and then finished with a glaze or sauce.
It always yields a delectably caramelized exterior with a succulent, juicy interior, and they are mostly referred to as the “candy of barbecue” thanks to their sweet and tasty flavor profile.
What Cut to Use
For this recipe, you can either use a boneless or a bone-in pork butt; however, I suggest you grab a boneless pork butt if you can find one.
The bone does make it a bit tricky to cut the meat up into cubes, and it is much easier with a boneless pork butt.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends Recipe
When it comes to making pork shoulder burnt ends, there are a few things that you need.
Bone-In Pork Shoulder
This recipe is ideal for those smaller pork shoulders that are 6 to 8 pounds.
BBQ Rub
For this recipe, you will use around 4 tablespoons of rub. You are to also use a mix of 2 tablespoons of Coldfire Kev’s American Ghost Dance Rub and 2 tablespoons of pork and poultry rub.
Honey
You don’t need so much for this—just 2 tablespoons of honey.
Apple Juice
You will need apple juice to keep the pork shoulder burnt ends moist while they smoke.
BBQ Sauce
For this recipe, you will need around a half cup of barbecue sauce. Just go ahead and pick your favorite.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends Prep
As previously mentioned, you can use a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder for this recipe.
- Just cut the whole pork shoulder into one-by-one-inch cubes. You can do this by first cutting the pork shoulder into large strips, and then cutting those strips down into chunks.
- As you cut the chunks, you should trim away any loose pieces of fat, and then get a large disposable aluminum pan and place the chunks into it.
- You are to dust it with half of the barbecue rub after you have chunked up the pork shoulder, and then use tongs to toss.
- That being done, place each of the chunks of pork shoulder on a grill rack. Don’t give too much thought to the spacing.
- They will shrink as the pork shoulder burnt ends smoke, so save the aluminum pan and use it again.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends
Even though burnt ends are quite loved, the brisket or pork belly versions can be a little too rich for some people.
These pork shoulder burnt ends come with all the flavors of the traditional burnt ends we all love but are not quite as rich.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours and 20 minutes
Servings: 5 Ibs
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder, 6 to 8 pounds
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 4 tablespoons of pork rub
- 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce
Laid-Out Instructions
- First, you are to cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch-by-inch cubes. It is easiest to trim the meat away from the bone first, then into large strips.
- After that, get a large disposable aluminum pan, place the cubes in it, and then spray with half of the BBQ rub.
- That being done, remove the cubes of pork (which are now coated in rub) and place them on a grill rack.
- Now, proceed to set up your smoker to smoke at 275 degrees Fahrenheit using indirect heat. For this smoke, you can go for oak pellets, but cherry wood is also a great option.
- Afterward, place the grill rack in your smoker, then spray the pork shoulder burnt ends with apple juice every hour.
- Allow the pork to cook until the internal temperature hits 190 degrees F. You are to use a Thermapen to spot-check the cubes and ensure that most of them are up to temp before you pull them from the grill.
- You are to dump the pork shoulder burnt ends into the aluminum pan you used earlier. Make sure you dust the rest of your rub and then sprinkle with the BBQ sauce and honey.
- Then, place the pan in your smoker for 15 minutes and make sure it is not covered. Toss the burnt ends in the sauce, cover the pan tightly with foil, and allow them to cook for an extra 45 minutes.
- When that is done, remove the cover from the pan and toss the burnt ends again. Continue to allow them to cook until the sauce has reduced and the pork shoulder burnt ends begin to get seared back.
- Now, pull from the smoker, then proceed to serve and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
- These pork shoulder burnt ends are just a little, tiny nuggets of meat candy. They are full of flavor, tender, and juicy.
- You can serve them as an appetizer or with any spread at a picnic or barbecue.
- You could also have them with the following, in addition to just popping these suckers in your mouth and enjoying them just like this:
- In a wrap
- On nachos or loaded fries
- Just a leftover cold out of the fridge as a snack
- As tacos
- Or, just on top of mac and cheese
Final Thoughts
This recipe is great when made in advance and eaten the following day. These pork shoulder burnt ends come with great flavor and tenderness, thanks to the cooking process.
I will say that the flavor gets better after they sit in the fridge for a day.
Well, this brings us to the end of this guide, as you now have the perfect recipe for pork shoulder burnt ends.
Pork Shoulder Burnt Ends (In Oven)
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder 6 to 8 pounds
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 4 tablespoons of pork rub
- 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce
Instructions
- First, you are to cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch-by-inch cubes. It is easiest to trim the meat away from the bone first, then into large strips.
- After that, get a large disposable aluminum pan, place the cubes in it, and then spray with half of the BBQ rub.
- That being done, remove the cubes of pork (which are now coated in rub) and place them on a grill rack.
- Now, proceed to set up your smoker to smoke at 275 degrees Fahrenheit using indirect heat. For this smoke, you can go for oak pellets, but cherry wood is also a great option.
- Afterward, place the grill rack in your smoker, then spray the pork shoulder burnt ends with apple juice every hour.
- Allow the pork to cook until the internal temperature hits 190 degrees F. You are to use a Thermapen to spot-check the cubes and ensure that most of them are up to temp before you pull them from the grill.
- You are to dump the pork shoulder burnt ends into the aluminum pan you used earlier. Make sure you dust the rest of your rub and then sprinkle with the BBQ sauce and honey.
- Then, place the pan in your smoker for 15 minutes and make sure it is not covered. Toss the burnt ends in the sauce, cover the pan tightly with foil, and allow them to cook for an extra 45 minutes.
- When that is done, remove the cover from the pan and toss the burnt ends again. Continue to allow them to cook until the sauce has reduced and the pork shoulder burnt ends begin to get seared back.
- Now, pull from the smoker, then proceed to serve and enjoy.
