What's everyone's flavor profiles for Pork Belly Burnt Ends?

[BigD]

I'm just reaching out to see what everyone's preference is in regards to the flavor profiles for their pork belly burnt ends. Do you go with a spicy rub and then come back with the sweet bbq sauce profiles for the end of the cook, are you all sweet flavors to go over the top like a candied pork, or something completely different?

I'm doing another batch of them for the 4th and was getting the pit's input as to see if I should change things up. I have typically stuck with Meat Church's recipe but I'm always looking for options.

[smokin fool]

I used Malcom Reed's recipe of his Youtube channel.
There may be better recipes out there but I'm guessing not by much.
I have never looked into Meat Church's recipe so I may be missing out, will have to take a gander.

[Potkettleblack]

Meat Church is gonna go for the sweet heat... That's Matt's philosophy... It's funny... I've watched the BBQ Stars class twice, and that's my takeaway... there might be some pepper jelly in there.

[klflowers]

Last time I did some I used Meat Church Holy Voodoo, which is spicy, with Blues Hog original sauce which is pretty sweet. They were excellent.

[Potkettleblack]

Blues Hog original makes a nice syrup for desserts. It's beyond pretty sweet... it's candy... I do love it.

[barelfly]

Pork belly bahn mi!!!! The recipe on this site - it’s bomb diggity!

[jfmorris]

Last time I did pork belly burnt ends I tossed them in salt and MMD in a zip log bag, then smoked for a couple hours, then put in a disposable foil pan with BBQ sauce, butter, and brown sugar. They were sweet and savory.

I have a 9 pound pork belly in the deep freeze. Maybe I ought to thaw it for the 4th... that would be a LOT of burnt ends though! Maybe half for burnt ends, half for bacon?

[klflowers]

That’s what I am thinking, I got a big hunk from Costco hanging out in the freezer

[jfmorris]

klflowers my 9 pound belly was in the deep freeze LAST July 4th, because we didn't have a get together due to COVID and cancer. This year it is limited as well due to the wife's broken leg. I think I will pull it out, cut into three 3 pound hunks, make bacon with 2 and burnt ends with one 3 pound hunk.

[Potkettleblack]

Sweet on the top, interesting underneath, maybe piccante.

Rub with MMD or whatever rub you like. I like MMD with some citric acid and some chile flake, to give it a bit of hot and sour under it all. Smoke 3 hrs or so, then sauce... as mentioned above, I use Blues Hog for the SWEET, and I cut it down a bit, with either some Black Swan Beso de Fuego or some sherry vinegar and tabasco... I love BH, but I think it needs thinning... Beso gives it some heat, while the vinegar and tabasco give it some umami-sour-heat.

Really, they are smoked pork... you can take them any way you want. I like a bit of sour in them to cut the richness.

[shify]

I don't like the sweet flavors with PBBEs. it is so rich, I don't quite get adding tons of sugar plus that much butter like the Malcolm Reed recipe.

My favorite is a spicy korean style. Augment my typical rub with gochugaru and garlic and then make a sauce with gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, honey and rice vinegar. I've definitely posted my korean PBBE on here before

[lostclusters]

shify I searched for the recipe you mentioned above. It is not here anymore. Neither is my salmon recipe. Could you post the recipe again?

Change 1 - I found my salmon recipe, searching is challenging

Change 2 - I managed to search all your post back to 2017. There is no post listing the ingredients above for the spicy korean style PBBEs.

[shify]

lostclusters - can't seem to find it either. I found picture on my phone that shows the following:
Gochujang
Gochugaru
Brown sugar
Soy sauce
Hot honey
Sesame oil
I generally mix it to taste but would guess 1/4-1/3 cup gochujang, a few TBS each of gochugaru, brown sugar, soy sauce and honey with 1/2 tsp of sesame oil. I also use a little bottled bbq sauce to pull it all together and get the right consistency and add a few thin pats of butter to the top. This is for ~3 lbs of pork belly

[jeremyandleah]

never tried making these myself however if you are ever in the Dallas area you simply must try the pork belly burnt ends at Heim's BBQ--locations in Ft Worth and right by Love Field airport. Best thing I have ever had.

[Spinaker]

I always add copious amounts of brown sugar, Sweet Baby Ray's and I throw in some Kerrygold Butter.

I love to use Meat Church's Honey Pecan Rub for the base before smoking. Then I smoke them with Cherry wood because it has a light flavor profile than my typical oak.

[JoeSousa]

I tend to go almost sickeningly sweet for my pork belly burnt ends. Honey Hog is usually the rub I use. I use butter, brown sugar, and honey for the braising phase. And then for sauce I use Blues Hog Original which is one of the sweetest I have ever had and I will usually mix that with apricot or peach jam.

My method is usually a mix of Malcom Reed, Meat Church, and Jess Pryles. Here is a writeup I did a few months back: https://completecarnivore.com/how-to...ly-burnt-ends/

[BigD]

Thanks everyone for the input. The only other real question I have is, how important the braising step is. Malcom Reed does it in his recipe, Matt @ the Church does not. Is it necessary???

[JoeSousa]

I have never skipped the braising step but I guess you could just keep the chunks smoking for a couple more hours to get them tender. Pork belly is regularly smoked until tender so no reason chunks of pork belly couldn't be treated the same.

My guess is you would have more crunchy edges on the pork belly chunks and you would be missing some of the sweetness from the honey and brown sugar but I couldn't really seem they drying out too much. Just a different texture than braising.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

DO the braise. If you smoke them too long uncovered, I have found the meat edges get too hard and dense. Not as chewy/gooey as I want them.

[58limited]

I use this rub recipe: https://www.vindulge.com/ultimate-homemade-dry-rub/

I smoke five lbs of cubed pork belly coated in the rub for 3-4 hours at 250, place in a foil pan with 1 stick of butter, Stubb's original BBQ sauce, honey, one or more chopped jalapenos, and a little water. Cover and braise on the smoker for 60 minutes then uncover for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce if needed. I sometimes add onion and serrano peppers too - whatever i have in the fridge.