Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends

By Todd Martin January 12, 2024 6 mins read 176 Views

Smoked pork belly is good on its own but delectable when topped with a bourbon and citrus barbecue sauce. These Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends are easy to make and mouthwatering. You will be pleasantly surprised by how well the sweet citrus sauce perfectly complements the pork belly’s rich, savory flavor.

Use this Kansas City Rub for Pork for this pork belly burnt end recipe. It will help produce a delicious meat candy!

What is pork belly?

Pork belly is a boneless fatty cut of meat that comes from the belly of a pig. It is widely used in global cuisines and is known for its tender texture and rich buttery flavor. Pork belly is cooked in a variety of ways, including braising, roasting, smoking, or grilling, and is used to make bacon, pork belly burnt ends, pork belly bao buns, and more. In terms of barbecue, pork belly is a great alternative to beef brisket burnt ends. It’s budget friendly, and offers different layers of flavor.

Pork belly, 4 pounds, and 1- 1 1/4″ thick
Kansas City Rub for Pork or your favorite BBQ spice rubs
Blood oranges or blood orange juice
Regular oranges
Real maple syrup (sub with brown sugar)
Ketchup
Bourbon
Soy sauce
Chili powder
Unsalted butter
An instant-read meat thermometer

Wood Recommendations:

Maple, Pecan, Apple, Oak, or Cherry Wood . You can also use a combination of woods if preferred. If you prefer a strong smoky flavor, use hickory or oak wood.

How to Make Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Prepare your smoker or pellet grill for 275 degrees F. Add smoke wood (chunks, chips, or pellet) of choice.
If there is a large fat cap on the pork belly, trim it down slightly to 1/2″ thick. Crosshatch the fat with a sharp knife. Do not penetrate the meat.
Combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Apply to both sides and edges of pork belly.

Pork Belly on the Smoker

Place pork belly fat side down in the smoker, close the lid, and let it go for 3 1/2-4 hours. Spritz with apple juice or apple cider vinegar after the first 2 hours.
Once the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 180 degrees, F. carefully remove the pork belly and wrap it in aluminum foil. Place it back into the smoker and let it go until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F.

Making the Bourbon BBQ Sauce

To prepare sauce: Add blood orange juice, regular orange juice, maple syrup, and bourbon to a saucepan.
Simmer over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add soy sauce, ketchup, and chili powder to the mixture, and reduce heat to medium.
Let the sauce simmer and thicken, stirring often. It will bubble up on the sides; keep an eye on it. Reduce heat to low if needed. The sauce should simmer for a good 5 minutes.
Next, stir in the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, remove the pot from heat and let the sauce stand for 5 minutes. The bourbon pork belly sauce should be a tad runny, sticky, and syrup-like.

Glazing the Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Remove pork belly from foil, and carefully place onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/4 inch cubes.
Place pork belly cubes into the aluminum pan, and pour BBQ sauce over the top, toss to coat, making sure all pieces are covered.
Cover the pan with foil, and place it into the smoker for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the pork belly is caramelized on the surface.
Remove from grill, let stand for 10 minutes, and serve with toothpicks for the perfect appetizer. Use in sandwiches, nachos, baked beans, serve as the main course, or serve these delicious bites as an appetizer.
Store leftover pork belly in an airtight container for 4 days in the fridge.

Tips:

Use fresh orange juice for this Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends recipe. The blood oranges are essential for both color and flavor.
How to serve. This bourbon pork belly can be quite rich, so serving it as an appetizer with other snackable items and cocktails is recommended. Or, make tacos, and serve with a side of grilled corn.
Use a low sodium soy sauce if preferred or tamari for dietary restrictions such as gluten sensitivity.
Real maple syrup is essential to this pork belly recipe. I recommend avoiding maple-flavored syrups or pancake syrups for this dish. The real stuff is so worth it, and it has a milder but deliciously sweet flavor.

If you like this recipe and want to take it to the next level, try our recipe for Pork Brisket.

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