With this pork burnt ends in an oven recipe, you will learn how to make crisp and crackly pork belly burnt ends.

It is seasoned with a smoky dry rub and finished with BBQ sauce, and it is safe to say that it is always a crowd-pleasing snack, appetizer, or small plate.

If you love sous vide pork belly or crispy pork belly, then you can always take them up a notch with this pork burnt ends in an oven recipe.

As they are similar to pork belly, these crunchy and crackly bites of smoky goodness are packed with flavor and deceptively interesting to make. It is guaranteed that they will come out extremely mouth-watering.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe

It is no secret that I love cooking out. Smoking, grilling, or using my favorite outdoor griddle—BBQ is the best.

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

They are succulent, juicy, and unbelievably flavor-packed. The most interesting part is that these pork belly burnt ends hardly require any prep work, and throughout the entire 3-hour cooking process, you only have to interact with them once.

In this guide, you will learn how to cook pork belly so it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious—you will crave making this recipe for pork burnt ends in an oven again.

I’m sure the reason why burnt ends are referred to as “meat candy” is now clear. They are just so irresistible.

What Is Pork Belly?

You might want to ask if pork belly is exactly what it sounds like. Well, it is exactly what it sounds like.

It is the layered, fatty meat obtained from the belly area of the pig. It is the same cut of meat as bacon, however, it has not been smoked or cured and is much thicker.

You will certainly become obsessed with 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; the truth is that they most likely will.

What Are Burnt Ends?

Burnt ends are typically obtained from the brisket cut of beef. In this case, this recipe takes pork belly from a pig, non-marinated, and creates some poor-man burnt ends.

In general, pork belly is cheaper cut compared to brisket where we live.

Pork belly comes with a high-fat content, which makes these an excellent keto snack; however, as a note of warning, you definitely should not be eating them every day due to the high-fat content.

These are excellent as a snack on game day, and you have the option of serving them on their own with a sweet sticky dipping sauce like in this recipe.

Or you can always coat them in the same sticky sauce, which might come out a bit messy, but isn’t that why we have cocktail sticks and plates?

In addition, you can serve them as a pork belly appetizer if that is what you like.

I usually serve these up as part of a main meal, some in the sauce and some not, for my family. They pair greatly with some roasted asparagus and roasted potatoes.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

It’s time to learn how to cook pork belly with this simple smoked pork belly burnt ends recipe. Sweet and smoky, these burnt ends certainly earn the name “meat candy.”

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 coarse sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of paprika
• 1 cup of BBQ sauce
• 2 tablespoons of pepper

Laid-Out Instructions

• You are to follow the instructions below for how to make pork belly in the oven. However, keep in mind that you won’t get the same smoky flavor you would get from a smoker, but you have the option of adding a little liquid smoke if you like.
• So first, preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, then grease a baking sheet with a rack with cooking spray.
• After that, place the seasoned cubed pork belly fat-side up on the baking sheet rack, then add the baking sheet to the oven middle rack for 3 hours. You are to spray the pork belly with apple cider vinegar every hour.
• That being done, remove the pork belly to a deep baking pan or disposable metal pan after 3 hours. Then toss with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
• Afterward, add the pork belly back to the oven for another 30 minutes. Also, allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes out of the oven, then you can serve and enjoy.

How to Store Burnt Ends

• First, you are to allow your burnt ends to cool to room temperature. Then proceed to wrap them in aluminum foil or an airtight container.
• You can just place the container in the refrigerator if you plan to consume it within a few days. Keep in mind that burnt ends can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
• And in the case of longer-term storage, just place the container with the wrapped burnt ends in the freezer. You can store them in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.

How to Reheat Pork Belly Burnt Ends in the Oven

• For this, you are to preheat your oven to around 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Then, proceed to place the pork belly burnt ends on a baking sheet or oven-safe dish. I strongly suggest that you spread them out evenly in order to ensure even reheating.
• After that, you are to cover the burnt ends with aluminum foil in order to prevent them from drying out.
• That being done, heat the meat in the preheated oven for around 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are heated through. You can always check the temp with a meat thermometer; they should reach an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
• Immediately after they are heated and have a nice, crunchy exterior, you are to remove them from the oven. Just serve hot and enjoy your reheated pork belly burnt ends.

Flavor Variations

You have the option of putting your own spin on this recipe, and you can do that by customizing the spice rubs or sauces.

Glaze

Talking about what is non-negotiable, the brown sugar, butter, and honey in the finishing glaze. However, you can always swap the BBQ sauce for any sweet and tasty sauce.

Dry Rub Spices

In order to find your perfect flavor, mix and match the seasonings in the dry rub. And add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for more heat. I’m so much in love with smokiness and warmth, so from time to time, add cumin and/or mustard powder.

Final Thoughts

You are to always use paper towels to pat the pork belly dry before you proceed to apply the dry rub. Doing this will help the rub stick to the meat and will give you crispier results.

You can even deepen the flavors by rubbing the pork belly dry rub over the meat a few hours before or the night before cooking. Just do this, and you will notice the huge difference in flavor.

Now, this brings us to the end of this guide, as you now have the perfect pork burnt ends in an oven recipe.