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Pork belly burnt ends are the quintessential American BBQ snack. While the classic is my favorite, I do like to play with different sauces. I’m a big bourbon guy so it only made sense for me to create a bourbon flavored sauce. And I think I just made the best one yet! Forget the store bought sauces, homemade is easy, fresh and crazy to say but better for you. The sweetness from the maple syrup, savoriness from the bourbon and little kick from the hot sauce made this the perfect sauce. These Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends were smoked to perfection.
Be sure to check out my Easy Chuck Roast Burnt Ends and Sweet And Spicy Burnt Ends for a more classic taste or try something new and zesty with these Smoked Tequila Lime burnt ends.
Table of Contents
- Step 1: How to prep and smoke the perfect pork belly burnt ends.
- Recipe Tip
- Step 2: How to make the best homemade Maple Bourbon BBQ sauce.
- Step 3: Time to sauce up the Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
- Products featured in the video
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Similar Low and Slow Recipe Ideas:
- Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends Recipe
Step 1: How to prep and smoke the perfect pork belly burnt ends.
Smoking pork belly burnt ends is a long process, but it’s a simple one. Once you perfect the method you can play around with different sauces and rubs and try different combinations.
The hardest part of the process is finding pork belly. I usually get mine from Costco. It comes in a big slab, no skin, and is perfect for this recipe. Start by cutting the pork belly into 1″ wide strips and then into 1″ x 1″ bite size cubes. Toss it in hot sauce that will work as a binder and season with Dad’s Maple Bourbon rub. Make sure the pork belly cubes are coated on all sides.
Preheat the grill to 275 degrees and set for indirect heat. Depending what cooker you are using, you can add a few wood chunks to the fire or just just use charcoal. I like to smoke my pork belly burnt ends on a wire rack. This makes it easier to put them on and take off the smoker. Put the wire rack on the smoker and cook for 3 hours.
Recipe Tip
- Spritz them every 30-45 minutes with apple cider vinegar. This helps keep the meat moist throughout the smoking process.
Step 2: How to make the best homemade Maple Bourbon BBQ sauce.
While the burnt ends are on the grill, it’s time to make the sauce. You can use regular BBQ sauce to coat the burnt ends, I really wanted to try something different and made my own sweet and savory sauce with maple and bourbon. As most of you know, I’m a big fan of bourbon so why not make a sauce out of it.
In a sauce pan add ketchup, maple syrup, bourbon of choice, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar and more Dad’s Maple Bourbon rub. Whisk the ingredients together over low heat. Bring it to a simmer and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. The heat will cook off any alcohol from the bourbon making it safe to eat for children.
Take a look at my Easy Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce recipe if you want something on the sweeter side.
Step 3: Time to sauce up the Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
After 3-4 hours on the grill the pork belly should have an internal temperature of 180-185 degrees. Remove the burnt ends from the wire rack and place them in a foil pan. Add the homemade maple bourbon bbq sauce, more Dad’s Maple Bourbon rub and mix everything together. Place the pan back on the grill, uncovered, and cook for 45-60 minutes. The sauce will thicken more and get the burnt ends super tender. They will be ready when they are probe tender. That means your thermometer should go in without any resistance, like a hot knife through butter.
By this time, they should be looking and smelling amazing! But before you dig in, let them rest! This will stop the cooking process and will allow them to cool down. Serve them up and watch them disappear! Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions:
I prefer using a skinless pieces of pork belly when making burnt ends. Skin can become tough and chewy, especially when applying a sauce at the end.
Absolutely! Follow the same time and temperature as listed in the recipe. The only downside is you won’t have the smokey flavor but the pork belly will still be tender and delicious.
Similar Low and Slow Recipe Ideas:
If you tried these Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Pork belly
- 3 tbsp Maple Bourbon Rub
- 1 tbsp Hot sauce
Maple Bourbon Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1/2 cup Bourbon
- 1/4 cup Maple syrup
- 1/4 cup Molasses
- 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Hot sauce
- 1 tbsp Maple Bourbon Rub
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into 1" wide strips and then into 1" x 1" wide cubs. Toss in the hot sauce and season on all sides with the Maple Bourbon Rub.
- Preheat the grill to 275 degrees and set for indirect heat. Arrange the pork belly cubes on a wire rack and place on the grill. Smoke the pork belly for 3-4 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 180-185 degrees.
- To make the BBQ Sauce, in a sauce pan add ketchup, maple syrup, bourbon, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar and the Maple Bourbon rub. Whisk the ingredients together over low heat. Bring it to a simmer and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pork belly cubes from the grill and place them in a foil pan. Cover with the Maple Bourbon bbq sauce and a dash of the Maple Bourbon Rub. Mix it well and place back on the grill, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, until probe tender.
- When done, let the pork belly burnt ends rest for 15-20 minutes, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Spritz them every 30-45 minutes with apple cider vinegar. This helps keep the meat moist throughout the smoking process.
- Use a skinless piece of pork belly for best results. The skin can get tough and chewy.
- Don’t cut the pork belly cubes too small. Remember, they will shrink as they cook.
Sweet, savory, fatty and DELICIOUS. One of my favorite pork belly recipes. I hope you like it as much as we do!
I am new to making Barbeque, I only have a Black Stone can this be made on the Black Stone? Thank you!
Always a hit at BBQs and Super Bowl parties.
I made these pork bites a few weeks ago for some of my less adventurous friends. They generally tend to stay away from anything with a sauce or glaze, preferring simple oil and salt. But, they loved these bites! Very simple recipe and a nice change from pulled pork. Definitely a new favorite!
My favorite way to cook pork belly.