Traeger Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Burnt ends are a popular barbecue dish that originated in Kansas City, Missouri. And hey! Kansas City, girl here. We love 'em. Standard burnt ends are made from the crispy pieces of beef brisket that are cut from the "point" end of the brisket. They have so much flavor since brisket is smoked low and slow for several hours.

Smoked pork belly burnt ends are a variation of the traditional beef burnt ends, made using pork belly instead of brisket. Pork belly is loaded with fat which makes it great for crisping and these will get the same texture as the standard version. These are known for their rich, savory flavor and their melt-in-your-mouth texture.

It's a cut of meat from the belly of a pig. It is a fatty and flavorful cut that is used in various ways, particularly in Asian cuisine. It is often used to make bacon, but can also be cooked in other ways such as braising, roasting, grilling, or frying.

It is a popular ingredient in many cultures around the world due to its rich flavor and versatility in cooking. I find it at Costco. Your local butcher is also a great option.

A dry rub is a combination of spices and seasoning added to the meat to enhance flavor. It's different from a marinade which has liquid ingredients (often to tenderize the meat) like apple cider vinegar or citrus. The purpose of a dry rub is to create a crust around the meat. A dry rub will enhance the flavor of the ribs without using moisture or a liquid marinade. Rubs are usually a little more coarse than simply adding seasoning.

As a rule of thumb, when applying a rub you should apply enough to fully coat the meat. You don’t want to see any empty spots. Add more spices if necessary. I love to use my Homemade BBQ Rub and Seasoning for these. It's a combination of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

You want to slice the pork into cubes that are evenly sized. That way they cook at an even and consistent temperature, such as ½ inch or an inch. Sometimes this can be tough to accomplish if the slices of pork belly you purchased aren't all equally sized.

When this is the case, I take note of the smaller pieces and pull those off the smoker earlier than the other pieces to ensure they don't overcook.

Pork belly is mostly fat, that’s the point. You’ll usually see a thick fat cap on one side, plus marbling throughout the meat. That intramuscular fat is what gives it all that rich flavor and tender texture.

How much you trim really depends on the slab you buy. Some pieces barely need touching, others might need a little cleanup. I usually leave a good amount of fat on because that’s where the flavor is. But trim it how you like, do what works for you.

I love to use fruit flavors or the Traeger Signature Blend. Hickory and maple will also work great.

I recommend 225 degrees so the pork cooks low and slow and the smoky flavor imparts into the meat.

Initially, you will need to smoke it for 2-3 hours to get it tender, around 165 degrees internal temperature. From there, I like to drizzle the burnt ends with BBQ sauce and a little apple cider vinegar to keep them tender and smoke them again until they reach an internal temperature of 195-205 degrees.

They are done with they are crisp on the outside and tender. Be careful not to overcook. Overcooked pork will taste dry and chewy.

Leftovers can be stored tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.

The best way to reheat is on the stove with additional BBQ sauce to help prevent the dish from drying out. You can also use the microwave along with some additional BBQ sauce.

You can freeze it tightly covered and sealed for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.