Pork belly burnt ends with honey and chili

Pork belly burnt ends: the candy of the BBQ. Fair warning: no one eats just one. Cubes of pork belly, first smoked, then braised in honey, butter, and chili until they are sticky and glossy. Whatever you do, don't leave the tray unattended. - Bo

Why low & slow pays off here

Pork belly is full of fat and connective tissue. By smoking it at a low temperature for a few hours first, that fat slowly melts and the smoke flavor penetrates. Then it goes into a tray with honey and butter, so each cube gets a sticky coating. The result is tender on the inside, caramelized on the outside.

Let's get started!

1. Cut the pork belly into cubes of about 3 cm and sprinkle them all over with the rub.
2. Fire up the BBQ for indirect cooking at 120 to 130°C and place a few pieces of smoking wood on the coals.
3. Place the cubes on the indirect side and let them smoke for about 3 hours, until they have a dark crust.
4. Put the cubes in an aluminum tray and add the butter, honey, BBQ sauce, and chili flakes. Mix everything well.
5. Cover the tray with foil and let it cook for another 1 to 1.5 hours, until the cubes are tender. Poke one: it should feel like butter.
6. Remove the foil and let it cook for another 15 minutes without a lid, so the sauce thickens and becomes sticky.
7. Let them cool down for a bit (really, it's sugar) and serve with toothpicks.

Tip

More kick? Add a sliced fresh red pepper to the tray. Too sweet? A splash of apple cider vinegar helps.

Storage and leftovers

Burnt ends stay good for 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat them in a pan or on the BBQ, with a spoonful of water so the sauce becomes glossy again.