These sticky pork belly burnt ends are the result of low & slow love, smoky flavor, sweet glaze, and a few clever shortcuts from Martijn of @fikkenenbikken. The pork belly is rubbed with “Nr. 2” from @defikerin, but another rub with smoked paprika and chili powder works just as well. You finish with a sticky, caramelized coating on a creamy mash of brown butter, truffle oil, and garlic. I [Martijn] prefer easy over hard work, so I used store-bought fresh mash and flavored it with milk, brown butter, and truffle oil. Works perfectly!

Preparing Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Cooking the pork belly takes a bit of time and love, but if you follow the steps below, you’ll be 100% on track!

1. Preparation
   • Cut the pork belly into 3 x 3 cm cubes
   • Rub generously with your chosen rub
   • Let it sit (immediately is fine, longer is better)
2. Smoking
   • Set your pellet smoker to 110–120 °C
   • Smoke the meat directly on the grate
   • Estimate 3.5 to 5 hours until internal temperature reaches 75–80 °C
   • Spray with apple juice every half hour
   • Extra smoke? Use a smoke tube with apple pellets

3. Wrapping Burnt Ends
   • Butter
   • A little apple juice
   • Spoonful of brown sugar
   • Generous splash of sweet BBQ sauce
   • Dash of whisky
   • Place cubes in an aluminum tray with the above ingredients
   • Cover with foil
   • Cook further until internal temperature reaches about 96 °C
   • At least 1–1.5 hours – check tenderness, not just temperature
   • Skewer test: if a toothpick slides in like butter, it’s ready
   • Mind thickness differences: remove smaller pieces earlier if needed
4. Grilling & Glazing

Option A: Serve Burnt Ends Immediately

• Remove foil
• Brush with extra sauce
• Grill or use a torch (e.g., @muliflamebv) for caramelization
• Or: continue mopping for 30–60 minutes at higher heat

Option B: Store Burnt Ends for the Next Day

• Cool in braising liquid
• Refrigerate
• Next day, reheat with sufficient liquid
• Continue mopping and glazing when grilling

Note: You can also do this dish in one day. Started late? No problem, as long as you keep it warm and mop regularly with sauce.

Preparing Truffle Mash

• Warm store-bought mash
• Add:
  • Pat of brown butter (melt until nutty aroma)
  • Grated garlic
  • Dash of truffle oil
• Stir – ready in 5 minutes

Preparing Grilled Carrots

• Slowly grill rainbow carrots until soft
• Quickly grill over direct heat for caramelization (a bit of char is fine)
• Mind thickness differences – thinner ones cook faster
• Optionally brush with honey, oil, or the same glaze as the burnt ends

Final Tips for Pork Belly Preparation

• Times may vary – rely on internal temperature and texture
• Aim for 96 °C internal for tenderness
• Rub and sauce provide character – feel free to experiment
• Moisture is essential for storing and reheating
• A torch is handy but not required – gives a crunchy finish

ENJOY!
Order Pork Belly