Make ahead Smoked Pork Bely Burnt Ends???

[jjdbike]

Hey Pitmasters,

I know, chunks of smoked pork bell, braised then glazed & caramelized sauce is not really "burn-ends". That being said, I'm cooking the BBQ for an end of the school year team building picnic for my school district department.

I was considering a slab of Duroc from a local boutique marked for $9.89 a lb, or Berkshire wet aged Berkshire for $7.89 a lb from wildfire Foods. I just scored a 12lb commodity pork belly for $4.00 a lb at my local Winco market. In my opinion, it looks pretty good. See pics below.

Heres my plan:

1. I'm going to cube it, slather and rub it then refrigerate over night.
2. Then smoke tomorrow at 275 in my KBQ stick burner w/ peach splits until it just probes tender.
3. Then rest, cool, vacuum pack and freeze in my deep freezer.
4. Then in two weeks, thaw, braise in sauce covered to warm.
5. Then uncover and carmalize & serve.

Sound rione specific question. Since after I thaw the smoked chunks I'm going to braise and caramelize them, do I need to do them to fully probe tender, e.g. 200 degrees?
JD?

[Jerod Broussard]

In my experience you have to really go beyond probe tender and 200. After I take them to 210 I'll hold them for about 2hrs at 200.

[jjdbike]

Here it is cubed, slathered w/ yellow mustard & Tabasco hot sauce & rubbed.

[Jerod Broussard]

So which is the before and after pick??

[jjdbike]

Hello Jerod,
The reddish one is after I applied the rub.
JD

[Steve R.]

If I could uncook stuff like that, I would be undefeated in my outdoor cooking career!

[jjdbike]

In my experience you have to really go beyond probe tender and 200. After I take them to 210 I'll hold them for about 2hrs at 200.

Thanks!

I’m assuming this is to render fat? Is that correct?

How would tjis translate to my application? That it, I’m smoking them today, then cooling, vacuum sealing then & freezing. I’ll thaw & finish the day I’m serving them in two weeks.

Thanks in advance!
JF

[Jerod Broussard]

I smoked mine to 160, cubed and chilled. On the resmoke at 203 they were still rubbery. They are easy to check.

[jjdbike]

I’m worried I may have gone overboard on the rub.
im guessing & hopefully much of it will run off as fat renders.
Plus, assuming some will get diluted during the braiseing phase.
JD

[Jerod Broussard]

You'll be fine. That is some good sized chunks.

[jjdbike]

Thanks Jerod!
JD

[bbqLuv]

Malcom Reed has a great YouTube video, as does a number of others.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends are so, so good.
(2) Pork Belly Burnt Ends - The ORIGINAL Recipe! - YouTube
(2) Pork Belly Burnt Ends - YouTube

[smokin fool]

+1 on Malcom Reeds vids

[jjdbike]

Ready to hit the pit!
JD

[Spinaker]

Lucky you!!! Brisket is king but pork belly is fit for kings!!

[jjdbike]

Dune.
OMG…. Where have these been all of my life!?!? My new favorite bite. These absolutely blow away smoked pulled butt by a long shot.
I made the mistake of sampling them when I was hungry, though I don’t really think it would have made a difference. I had to pull myself away from them & remind myself they were spoken for.
Ill definitely be doing this again sooner than later.
Thanks everyone!
JD

[Smoke n Beers]

Congrats. I wish I could have contributed to your cook, but I have no experience with this...Yet!

[jjdbike]

The finished product. I expected a 2 hour cook, I opened the KBQ an hour in to see if they needed to be spritzed and it turned out they were done. I've said it before, along w/ cooking quicker, it's a color and bark making' machine. I attribute that to the convection. I'm so glad I went w/ these instead of pulled pork.
Thanks folks!
JD

[shify]

Looks great! PBBE are so beyond good and super easy to make. I've never gotten anything short of a rave every time I've brought them anywhere

[Jerod Broussard]

Great cook! I finished mine off last night.

[phbern]

I'd love to try making these! Question: How crispy are they before they get sauced? Would it make sense to perhaps put them on the grill to get them crispy like bacon, then sauce them?

[jjdbike]

They were already somewhat crispy when I froze them. As you can see, some more than others. I'm still trying to decide how I'll reheat. I'm thinking a short braise to soften them then a stint uncovered to caramelize the sauce

[Baltimorelger]

For your reheat, did you throw back on smoker and braise with liquid or other cooking vehicle. We have a neighborhood party and want to do the same thing but not cook it all and travel day of.

[jjdbike]

Still trying to decide how to reheat. Probably in oven not bother firing up the stick burner. Sort braise to slightly soften then a stint uncovered to caramelize the sauce