Burnt ends are a staple of BBQ season. Juicy, smoky, and delicious with the beautiful mix of flavours from the meat, rub, and sauce it’s no wonder they’re a firm favourite at BBQs year after year. If you’re looking to perfect this iconic summertime food, you’re in the right place! We will be exploring step by step how you can cook beautiful pork belly burnt ends on the BBQ, so you’re fully prepared to wow your guests at your next event.

Step 1 - Pre-heat your grill to between 107C and 121C for a low and indirect heat.

Step 2 - Cut the pork belly into small cubes (around 3 and a half to 4cm) using a sharp knife.

Step 3 - Add the cubes of pork to your dry rub and toss with a splash of olive oil, ensuring each piece of meat is fully covered with the rub.

Step 4 - Put the pork belly cubes directly onto the wire rack of the grill over indirect heat. Cook for around 2 and a half to 3 hours, until the meat is a dark red colour.

Step 5 - Move the meat into a disposable aluminium tray and toss with the BBQ sauce, thoroughly coating each piece.

Step 6 - Cover the tray with foil and place on the wire rack of the grill, cooking for an extra hour or 2 or until the pork reaches the internal temperature of 93C.

Step 7 - Take the pork belly burnt ends off the heat and serve straight away with any desired side dishes.

Achieving the right texture and tastes of classic burnt ends isn’t always easy – especially it’s your first time preparing them. With that in mind we wanted to offer some useful tips that will help you create the ideal balance of flavours for you and your guests and make the cooking process as simple and effective as possible.

• Buy pork belly that is boneless and skinless – this will save you quite a bit of time as removing the skin on pork requires precision and coordination. To take off the skin you need a sharp knife positioned at an angle, run it under the skin and use your other hand to peel away the skin as you cut it off and move through the meat. Hosting a BBQ and cooking for guests is a big enough job as it is, avoid extra work and stress buy getting high quality skinless and boneless pork belly.
• Leave the pork to sit after it has been covered with the dry rub – if you have left yourself plenty of preparation time you will have the freedom to allow the pork cubes to sit for around 5-10 minutes before it goes on the grill. This will ensure the spices and flavours in the rub have enough time to infuse into the meat and strengthen the overall flavours.
• Adapt the flavours to suit your guests’ tastes – some people might prefer a bit of spicy kick; some may like their burnt ends to be less sweet or want more smokiness. There are many flavour possibilities for pork belly burnt ends, so be sure to think about you and your guests and the desired flavours that you want at the forefront. Play around with your dry rub and sauce to balance your flavours effectively.

Conclusion

Get ahead this BBQ season by getting all your meats and condiments online from The Village Butcher. We provide high quality, affordable, fresh meats delivered directly to your door. No more rushing out to the shops trying to find everything you need at the last minute. Explore our range of products and recipes and perfect your BBQ this summer.

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