Pit notes
Use a rack. Smoke the cubes on a wire cooling rack so they don't fall through the grate.
Colour first. Wait for a deep mahogany colour before they go into the pan with the sauce and butter.
Sticky finish. Uncover for the last 30 minutes and stir so the sauce thickens and clings.
Que Club Recipe · Pork · Game Day
The Best Pork Belly Burnt Ends
When game day rolls around, there's nothing better than snacks that are finger-licking good and packed with flavour. Pork belly burnt ends are exactly that—a sweet, smoky, and savoury bite that’ll have everyone coming back for more. These tender bites of pork belly, caramelised to perfection with Hardcore Carnivore Cajun Rub and their signature Burnt Ends Sauce, are the ultimate way to kick your game day snacks up a notch.
Ingredients
- 3kg free range pork belly – skin off
- 3–5 tablespoons Hardcore Carnivore ‘Cajun’
- Hardcore Carnivore Burnt Ends Sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small cubes
How to cook it
Start by cutting the belly into 2.5–5cm (1–2 inch) cubes. Season generously with the Hardcore Carnivore Cajun.
Fire up a smoker to 120°C (250°F). Add pecan or apple wood chunks, if you've got them.
Smoke for 1.5 hours, until a nice, deep mahogany colour. If you've got a wire cooling rack you can put the cubes of belly on it to stop them falling through your grate.
In a foil pan large enough to hold everything, add the Hardcore Carnivore Burnt Ends Sauce and chicken stock and then toss in the smoked belly cubes. Arrange them in a single layer and add the butter cubes across the top, then cover with foil and return to the smoker for another 1.5 hours.
Remove the foil, stirring the cubes to coat, then cook a further 30 minutes, uncovered, until sticky and thick.
