Make Smoky Burnt Ends in the Oven with Affordable Pork Belly!

Are you craving the rich, smoky flavor of burnt ends, but don't have a smoker? You're in luck! With just a few simple ingredients and your trusty oven, you can create tender and flavorful burnt ends that will impress everyone at your next gathering.

Burnt Ends with Barbecue Sauce and Pickled Red Onions

What Are Burnt Ends?

Traditionally, "burnt ends" refers to the point of a barbecued beef brisket, which becomes caramelized with a smoky bark during a long smoking process. Later, people began duplicating the look and texture of these browned ends with pork belly cubes. Smoked beef brisket and pork belly taste very different and come from different animals. But both are relatively fatty meats that brown perfectly and have similar textures. I confess that I find pork belly burnt ends to be vastly superior to beef brisket. Even better, pork belly is far cheaper.

Why Choose Pork Belly?

The day I took these pictures, I paid $2.99/pound for pork belly at Aldi. Beef brisket costs 3-4 times that. Pork belly is not only budget-friendly but is also well-known for its layers of tenderness and fat that crisp up beautifully in the oven. This high-fat-to-lean ratio means that the fat in pork belly will render out beautifully, leaving a crispy outer coating. This crispy layer is enhanced by spraying the meat with apple cider vinegar several times during the cooking process.

Burnt Ends in the Oven: Smoke Without a Smoker?

This recipe uses a secret ingredient for a perfect smoky flavor without a smoker: smoked paprika. Use any good brand of smoked paprika. I prefer the Trader Joe's brand, which is inexpensive and of high quality. This essential spice will make your brisket taste smoky without a smoker.

Ingredients You'll Need

To whip up these oven-baked burnt ends, you’ll need:

• 2-3 pounds of pork belly, skin removed

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Apple cider vinegar, in a spray bottle

• BBQ sauce of your choice (for glazing)

• Pickled red onions (as garish)

  
  

These ingredients are not only affordable but also readily available, making this recipe accessible for anyone looking to impress.

Preparation is Key

Begin by preheating your oven to 275°F to ensure even cooking.

Next, take your pork belly and trim off any excessive skin, leaving enough fat for flavor.

Cube the pork belly into 1-inch pieces. This size helps the meat absorb the spice blend and cooks it more quickly.

In a bowl, combine the smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. This blend will infuse your burnt ends with bold flavors. Coat the pork belly cubes generously with the spice mixture, making sure every piece is well covered for maximum flavor.

Baking the Burnt Ends

Arrange the seasoned pork belly cubes on a rack above a baking sheet, spacing them apart for even cooking.

Once your oven reaches the desired temperature, place the baking sheet in and let them cook for 2-3 hours. Every 45 minutes, spray the pork with apple cider vinegar. During this time, the fat will render, making the pork belly tender and juicy. Keep an eye on your pan so that the rendered pork fat doesn't overflow your baking pan. Two pounds of pork belly will release at least a cup of fat and as much as two cups. After 2 hours, check the tenderness by probing a piece with a fork. If it falls apart easily, you're ready for the next step. (The jar in the background of the photograph below is rendered fat.)

Burnt End after initial bake, ready for sauce.

Glazing the Burnt Ends

After the initial cooking period, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Use extreme care when moving the sheet because it will have 1-2 cups of melted pork fat at the bottom. Carefully drain this fat. Put the burnt ends in a cast-iron frying pan or Dutch oven. Add 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce over the pork belly pieces. Toss them lightly to ensure an even coating.

Put the pan in the oven at 350°F (175°C).

Let the burnt ends bake for an additional 30 minutes. This step caramelizes the sauce, giving it that crispy, sticky texture we all crave.

The Delicious Finish

Once your oven-baked burnt ends are golden brown, take them out and let them rest for about 10 minutes. This resting time helps the juices redistribute, ensuring every bite is full of flavor.

Burnt Ends, with pickled red onions.

Serve your burnt ends warm as a tasty appetizer or with Texas toast for a delicious sandwich. Serve with some type of acid to cut through the fat—my favorite is pickled red onion. No matter how much of this dish I make, I never have a crumb left over. But if you do, they will keep for three days in the refrigerator and just get better in the fridge.