Pork Burnt Ends

Pork Burnt Ends are tasty bites of smoky pork that have been slow cooked in bbq sauce until they are tender, juicy and totally irresistible. 

Pork Burnt Ends are a great addition to any grilling menu and a must-try for your next cookout or game day get together.

Why You Will Love this Pork Burnt Ends Recipe

• Crowd Favorite: These pork bites are loaded with smoky flavor and can be made with different cuts of pork.
• Easy Recipe: Burnt ends is a super simple recipe to make on a grill or pellet smoker.
• Spicy or Mild: Make these pork burnt ends with little heat or use a mild pork rub to suit your own tastes. We love a sweet barbecue sauce for burnt ends but your favorite spicy version will also be delicious.

Ingredients Needed for Pork Burnt Ends

• Pork: Pork Butt, Pork Loin, Pork Chops or Pork Belly
• Olive Oil
• Pork Rub: Granulated garlic, kosher salt, coarse black pepper
• BBQ Sauce: Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce or Jalapeno Peach BBQ Sauce
• Onion – Optional but goes great with the sweet and smoky pork.

Step-By-Step Directions for Burnt Ends Recipe

1. Pat pork dry with paper towels.
2.  Cut into one-inch cubes with a sharp knife. 
3. Mix garlic, salt and pepper together.
4. Place pork into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dry rub.  Toss to coat evenly. 
5. Add pork chunks to a grill pan or wire rack, this creates better smoke circulation. Place the grill pan and a whole, unpeeled onion onto a hot grill. Use hickory wood chunks or wood chips for smoke flavor. Cook with the grill closed for 30 minutes or until internal temperature of the pork reaches about 165°. The pork bites will have a nice bark at this point.

6. Remove from grill and place in a cast iron skillet or disposable aluminum pan. 
7. Add bbq sauce and stir to coat. Lower grill temperature to about 250°. Place pan over indirect heat, close the grill and cook, stirring occasionally until pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 200° using a digital meat thermometer. 

8. Remove the bbq pork burnt ends and the onion. 

9. Allow onion to cool about 5 minutes before peeling and chopping coarsely. 

10. Spoon chopped onion over the burnt ends and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes and Variations for Burnt Ends

• Pork Belly Burnt Ends: If using pork belly to make meat candy, make sure it is skinless pieces of pork belly. The butcher can trim it for your or it’s fairly simple to do before you cut it into chunks.
• Pork Butt Burnt Ends: Pork butt has more layers of fat than the pork loin and will produce a juicier bite of meat.
• Seasonings: We are using a basic salt, pepper, garlic rub, our Pork Rub is also a great option or use your favorite pork rub.
• Butter: Salted butter can be added with the bbq sauce if desired. 
• Honey: If you are using a savory sauce, honey or brown sugar can be stirred in with the bbq sauce for sweet burnt ends. 
• Storage: Store leftover burnt ends in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
• Reheat: Place burnt ends into a skillet adding additional bbq sauce if desired. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Burnt ends are a popular dish at BBQ restaurants. Poor man’s bbq burnt ends can be made with chuck roast in place of the traditional beef brisket burnt ends that is more affordable than the cost of a full brisket.

More Pork Recipes to Try

• Jalapeno Peach BBQ Pork Loin is a delectable meal that is easy to make for any occasion.
• Smoked Pork Sandwich is our version of a Cuban Sandwich made with whole pork butt, thin sliced ham and Swiss cheese. A great idea for lunch or dinner.
• Smoked Pork Butt is made on the pellet grill and makes incredible sandwiches, enchiladas and more. It can be made with a boneless pork shoulder or boneless pork butt and a great thing if you need more meal prep options.

Slow cooking pork chunks in bbq sauce is the best way to create pork burnt ends for a great appetizer or main dish. Pile them on a sandwich with coleslaw or serve them up on toothpicks. Add these BBQ Pork Burnt Ends to your menu this weekend for a dish that the meat lovers will go crazy for.

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Print Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

Pork Burnt Ends

Pork Burnt Ends are tasty bites of smoky pork that have been slow cooked in bbq sauce until they are tender, juicy and totally irresistible.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq burnt ends, burnt ends, pork butt burnt ends

Servings: 8

Calories: 499kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork pork loin, pork chops, pork belly or pork butt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
• 3 cups Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce
• 1 large onion whole, unpeeled, optional

Instructions

• Prepare a grill fire or smoker to 300°.
• Pat pork dry with paper towels.
•  Cut into one-inch cubes with a sharp knife. 
• Mix garlic, salt and pepper together.
• Place pork into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dry rub.  Toss to coat evenly. 
• Add pork chunks to a grill pan or wire rack, this creates better smoke circulation. Place the grill pan and a whole, unpeeled onion onto a hot grill. Use hickory wood chunks or wood chips for smoke flavor. Cook with the grill closed for 30 minutes or until internal temperature of the pork reaches about 165°. The pork bites will have a nice bark at this point.
• Remove from grill and place in a cast iron skillet or disposable aluminum pan. 
• Add bbq sauce and stir to coat. Lower grill temperature to about 250°. Place pan over indirect heatclose the grill and cook, stirring occasionally until pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 200° using a digital meat thermometer. 
• Remove the bbq pork burnt ends and the onion. 
• Allow onion to cool about 5 minutes before peeling and chopping coarsely. 
• Spoon chopped onion over the burnt ends and serve immediately.

Notes

Pork Belly Burnt Ends: If using pork belly to make meat candy, make sure it is skinless pieces of pork belly. The butcher can trim it for your or it's fairly simple to do before you cut it into chunks.

Pork Butt Burnt Ends: Pork butt has more layers of fat than the pork loin and will produce a juicier 

Seasonings: We are using a basic salt, pepper, garlic rub, our Best Pork Rub is also a great option or use your favorite pork rub.

Butter: Salted butter can be added with the bbq sauce if desired. 

Honey: If you are using a savory sauce, honey or brown sugar can be stirred in with the bbq sauce for sweet burnt ends. 

Storage: Store leftover burnt ends in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: Place burnt ends into a skillet adding additional bbq sauce if desired. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1627mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g

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