Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Directions

1. Preheat your grill or smoker to 250–275 °F using hickory or apple wood.

2. Remove pork belly from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.

3. Trim the bottom layer of hard fat from the pork belly. Don’t take it all off, but remove the hard part – it will end up chewy if you don’t trim some of it.

4. Slice the pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes, referencing the pro tip below.

5. Apply a light coating of olive oil or yellow mustard as a binder, then dust with a light layer of Golden Rule Original BBQ Rub, coating all sides (leave some room to apply the next rub, ensuring it sticks).

6. Next, apply a thick layer of Lane’s Spellbound Rub, covering the pork completely.

7. Place the seasoned cubes on an oiled wire rack.

8. Then, place your pork belly on the smoker (on the rack or in your aluminum pan - see the pro tip below) and close the lid.

9. After two hours, check to see that bark or “crust” has started to develop – the cubes should have a dark mahogany “burnt” look to them. If, after two hours, they don’t have the color, continue cooking, checking every 1/2 hour until the color is correct, or the internal temp reaches 165 ºF.

10. Remove the burnt ends from the smoker, place in an aluminum pan (without holes, don’t reuse the one you used previously).

11. Combine 2 Tbsp melted or soft butter, 2 Tbsp honey, and 1/2 cup of Elijah's Xtreme Bourbon Blueberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce & Marinade. Add the sauce to the pork, covering all pieces.

12. Cover the pan with foil and place it back on the smoker at 250-275 ºF, cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, check for tenderness. When done, the burnt ends should almost fall apart when probed. The final internal temp will be somewhere between 190-203 ºF.

13. Continue cooking uncovered for 10-15 minutes longer to allow the sauce to set.

14. Remove from the smoker and rest for 10 minutes. The meat will have a beautiful glaze and shine! Serve and enjoy.