Pork Belly Burned Ends!
Ingredients
1-1.5kg pork belly, skin removed
Blaze of Glory BBQ Rub
100g Butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey (Substitute with Hot Honey for an extra kick!)
1/4 cup of apple juice
Butter
Wood chunks, chips or pellets for smoking with your favoured smoker (Apple, Orange, Hickory best suited)
Instructions
Preheat
Preheat your smoker to 120°C (250°F) Make sure you have enough wood chunks or chips to maintain smoke throughout the cooking process.
>> Oven as below
Season
Cut the pork belly into 2.5-3cm (1-inch) cubes. Place the cubes in a large bowl and season them with Blaze of Glory BBQ rub, ensuring they are evenly coated. Let the pork belly sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the flavours to penetrate.
Smoke
Once the smoker is ready, place the pork belly cubes on the grates or in a wire rack. Smoke the pork belly cubes for about 2-3 hours, or until they reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165 °F).
>> Place in Over for 2 hours at 150°C
Braise
While the pork belly is smoking, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and honey, stirring until they are fully dissolved. Pour in the apple juice and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Set aside.
Transfer the smoked pork belly cubes to a disposable aluminium pan. Pour the glaze over the cubes, making sure they are completely coated. Gently toss the cubes to evenly distribute the glaze and topped with butter cut into pieces. Cover the pan with foil and seal off.
Return the pan to the smoker and cook for an additional 1-2 hours, or until the pork belly cubes are tender and caramelized, and the glaze has thickened even more.
>> Place in the Oven as above and cook for another hour at 150°C
Rest & Serve
Remove the pan from the smoker and let the pork belly cubes rest for 15-20min. The glaze will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve the smoked pork belly-burned ends as an appetiser or main dish. Drizzle some additional BBQ sauce on top if desired.
Enjoy your delicious smoked pork belly-burned ends!