Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 23, 2025 
Whether you make it in the oven or smoker, this tender and utterly mouthwatering smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe is a barbecue-lover’s absolute dream!
Meet The Ultimate Recipe For Pork Belly Burnt Ends
If you’re anything like our family, you are already in love with this classic beef brisket burnt ends recipe. Either way, you are going to go crazy over this decadent Pork Belly Burnt Ends Oven Recipe!
Similar to beef, these pieces of smoked meat are thick and meaty, but with a slightly softer and melt-in-your-mouth texture. These are pure BBQ bliss!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
What I love about this recipe is that it brings all tender and meaty fall-apart magic without needing a smoker or a fancy BBQ setup.
Why You’ll Love This Pork Belly Burnt Ends Oven Recipe
- Seriously Crispy – I just can’t get enough of these caramelized pork belly bites with their soft center. They’re basically meat candy!
- Great For Crowds – These pork burnt ends are perfect for a party from backyard bbq’s to gameday cookouts, the crowd will go crazy.
- Oven-Friendly – No smoker? No problem. You can also make these succulent pork burnt ends in the oven using the help of some liquid smoke!
Trust me on this, this recipe for pork burnt ends will rival even the best pitmaster!
Ingredients and Tips
- Pork belly slab – Look for pork belly with a good balance of meat and fat for rich flavor. Trim off any skin but keep a little fat for moisture.
- Brown sugar – Use a light and packed version.
- Spices – Use a balanced BBQ rub (salt, sugar, paprika, garlic, and onion powders). Sweet notes from brown sugar or honey pair perfectly with pork belly. Apply the rub generously on all sides and let it sit for 15-30 minutes to let the flavors set.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite brand of Texas-style bbq sauce.
- Apple cider – Apple cider or apple juice will help to tenderize the smoked pork.
- Wood – If you’re making the pork in a smoker, use wood like apple, cherry, or hickory, which complement pork well.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy – Add a dash of cayenne pepper into the seasoning for a spicy twist.
- Honey – Mix in a tablespoon or two of honey into the bbq sauce for an even sweeter and stickier glaze.
- Asian twist – For an Asian-inspired version of this dish, swap the bbq sauce with a mixture of hoisin sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce.
- Sugar-free – Use a sugar-free bbq sauce and replace the brown sugar with a natural sweetener like honey.
- Low-fat – Substitute the pork belly with a leaner option like skinless pork shoulder.
How to Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends
You can make these crispy and juicy pork belly burnt ends using a traditional smoker or in the oven with a little bit of liquid smoke to get that smoky flavor.
Find the full Pork Belly Burnt Ends recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Smoked pork will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Let the burnt ends cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Freezing Leftovers – Place cooled pork belly pieces in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating Leftovers – I recommend reheating these pork belly burnt ends in the oven at 325°F for 20–25 minutes, or until hot and sticky. Add a splash of bbq sauce if the pork is too dry.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your BBQ pork belly as a main dish piled on top of white bread and southern sides. We love to pair luscious, meaty smoked pork belly with Collard Greens, Mac and Cheese, or Macaroni Salad, and Creamy Potato Salad.
Or serve as an appetizer with sharp cheddar cheese cubes, spicy mustard, pickles, and Ritz crackers or saltines.
Frequently Asked Questions
To “smoke” the cubed pork belly burnt ends in the oven, preheat the oven to 250 F. Toss the pork belly cubes with 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke, before you toss them with the dry rub. Then place them in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Follow the remaining instructions as directed!
If you are making this BBQ pork belly in the oven, liquid smoke helps to infuse the meat with a smoky flavor. However, you can technically omit it if you don’t have it on hand. The flavor will be different, but you can still have some delicious chunks of meat! I recommend adding a little smoked paprika to the spices for a little bit of a smoky flavor!
Pork belly is basically uncured, unsliced bacon! Bacon comes from pork belly, but you can do so much more with pork belly than just bacon! If you can’t find pork belly at the grocery store, definitely ask the butcher to see if they have any on hand in the back. If not, try a local butcher instead of the grocery store.
No burnt ends are not supposed to be tough! They should be chewy with crispy bits and pretty tender overall. Pork belly needs to be cooked low and slow, and it is possible to overcook pork belly burnt ends. Once they are overcooked, they can become tough!
Using a meat thermometer, check to see that the internal temperature of the pork is at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Video
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds pork belly slab
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ cups Texas-style BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250°F. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Cut the pork belly into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Toss the pork belly cubes with the dry rub.
- Set out two large rimmed baking sheets and place baking racks on top. Spread The seasoned pork belly cubes over the baking racks.
- Set the baking sheets on the smoker. Close the lid and smoke for 2 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix the barbecue sauce and apple cider in the baking dish.
- Once the pork belly comes off the smoker, placed the cubes in the baking dish. Toss to coat the pork belly cubes in barbecue sauce. Then cover the baking dish tightly with foil in place in the oven for one hour.
Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Smoked pork will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Let the burnt ends cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Freezing Leftovers – Place cooled pork belly pieces in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating Leftovers – I recommend reheating these pork belly burnt ends in the oven at 325°F for 20–25 minutes, or until hot and sticky. Add a splash of bbq sauce if the pork is too dry.
It turned out so tender and wow, so full of flavor! We just found our new go-to recipe for pork belly.
This recipe is a true winner! I’ve always wanted to make pork belly burnt ends and when I saw this recipe pop up, I just had to give it a go! DELICIOUS!
this dish has become one of my most favorite things to make! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe
The burnt ends are the best part! We love this recipe so much, thank you!
Very Good Recepie i will try it as soon as possible.