![What are Burnt Ends](http://cusocuts.com/cdn/shop/articles/what_are_burnt_ends.jpg?v=1716410640&width=1445)
The word “burnt” doesn’t evoke thoughts of a sumptuous meal. Nonetheless, pork or beef burnt ends are delectable. They have a hit of smoke, plenty of tenderness, are juicy, and kind of sexy. You can make these marvelous morsels as a great appetizer for any gathering. And if there are leftovers (the operative word here being IF,) you can use the meat in dishes like tacos or as a salad topping.
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What Exactly are Burnt Ends?
Glad you asked! Burnt ends seem to be a favorite cooking style in the Southern US, specifically Kansas. The traditional meat comes from the point of a smoked brisket cut into 1 ½” cubes. As it smokes, the meat develops a charged bark from natural sugars, protecting the texture and moistness within. The whole process leaves you with bite-sized sticky pork bliss, sometimes called “meat candy.”
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Chef’s Tip
Before you cook, sneak some pieces and set them aside for yourself. This dish disappears very quickly
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Ingredients for Pork Burnt Ends
- 2 lbs pork belly
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Dry Rub **
** Here are some options from CusoCut’s list of all-natural spices
Gravel: Sea salt, dehydrated onion, minced garlic, black pepper, sea salt, garlic, bell pepper, hatch green chili
Hot Honey: Honey powder, salt, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, pepper, cayenne pepper, granulated onion
Maple Bourbon Seasoning: Brown sugar, salt, molasses granules, maple sugar, bourbon whisky, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, allspice, nutmeg
Roasted Onion Garlic: Roasted Granulated Garlic, Salt, Molasses Granules, Toasted Onion Granulated, Rosemary, Dehydrated Onion, Tamari Powder
Ingredients for Burnt End Sauce
⅓ cup Dark brown sugar
¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ tsp Celery Salt
¼ tsp smoky paprika
¼ tsp coarse ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp chipotle powder
¼ tsp mustard powder
1 Tablespoon Orange blossom honey
1 Tablespoon Unsalted butter
Instructions
- Trim excess fat off the pork belly.
- Freeze the meat for 1/2 hour
- Carve the meat into 1 ½” cubes
- Place them in a bowl with olive oil and dry spices
- Toss and massage the rub into the pork
- You can go on to cook them now or let them sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator to enhance the flavor.
- Preheat the smoker to 240F
- Place the meat pieces on a dense wire and put the pork inside
- In about 2.5 hours, it should develop into a good crust.
- Transfer the pork pieces to a disposable foil pan.
- Add in the sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and return the meat to smoke for another 75 minutes. At the halfway mark, stir them around to maintain an even coating.
- Check the pork using a meat thermometer for doneness (200F)
- Take off the foil and let the pan sit on the grill for 15 minutes, thickening the sauce.
- EAT!
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PitMaster’s Memo: Tips & Tricks
A few things can help with your success. First, you may not find pork belly. A pork shoulder works just fine. Two pounds of pork belly can feed two to three people.
If you’re questioning choices in smoking wood, look to cherry or other fruit woods.
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Sides
Blistered Shishito Peppers
Carmalized Swee potato chips with chipotle
Honeyed popovers
Olive oil pasta salad
Pickle tray
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Dessert
Banana pudding
Gelato
Fruit cobbler
Grilled maple pineapple pieces
Vanilla sundae
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From the Bar
Bourbon
Cider
Porter
Whisky sour
Zinfandel