Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends on the Ninja FlexFlame

Learn how easy it is to smoke pork belly burnt ends on the Ninja FlexFlame. These are fantastic melt-in-your mouth BBQ bites.

What are pork belly burnt ends

Burnt ends are a tradition in the beef world. They are cubes of beef brisket cut from the point end (the fattier part). After cooking slow and low, they’re tossed in sauce and caramelized.

But pork lovers have decided they want a piece of the burnt end action. Pork belly burnt ends are everywhere on Instagram. They’re actually easy to make, and take less time than their beef counterparts.

Unlike the brisket burnt ends, which come from the chest of the cow, pork belly burnt ends are made from the belly of the pig, which is where bacon comes from.

Bacon however is cured and then smoked. With pork belly burnt ends, there is no curing involved, so you can make this recipe in just a few hours.

And when you prepare them on the Ninja FlexFlame, they cook up even faster than a regular smoker because of the convection fan technology.

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Ingredients

• Pork Belly: You can either buy a slab of pork belly or pork belly strips. Either way, make sure the skin is removed. I buy the strips from Costco. Before grabbing a pack, look at the sides. You want them to be thick.
• Girls Can Grill Pork Rub
• Butter
• Honey or Hot Honey
• BBQ Sauce

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

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How to smoke pork belly burnt ends on the Ninja FlexFlame

1. STEP ONE: Cut the pork belly into one-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. 

PRO TIP: I cut off one piece, making sure it's as thick as it is wide. Then, I use that as a guide for even pieces. 

2. STEP TWO: Sprinkle the pork rub into the bowl and toss to coat.

3. STEP THREE: Place the seasoned cubes on a baking rack. This makes it so much easier to transfer all of the cubes to the grill.

4. STEP FOUR: Ignite the burners. Set the FlexFlame to Low & Slow and the temperature to 225F. Add wood pellets and push the Woodfire Flavor button. 

5. STEP FIVE: Place the baking rack on the grill and smoke for 2 hours. 

PRO TIP: The smoke will last for 30-45 minutes. To get smoke throughout the cook, add wood pellets to the hopper every 30 minutes. 

6. STEP SIX: Once the pork belly cubes have a great mahogany color, transfer them to a 13×9 pan. Top with butter, honey, BBQ sauce and more pork rub.

7. STEP SEVEN: Cover and cook for 30 more minutes or until the temperature reaches around 203F degrees.

PRO TIP: I use a Thermapen ONE digital meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the meat. When checking the temp, try to insert your probe into the meat instead of the fat. The fat will usually register hotter. 

8. STEP EIGHT: Remove the foil and cook for 15 more minutes to help the sauce get tacky. 

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How to serve smoked pork belly burnt ends

This smoked pork belly burnt ends recipe is great as a main course or appetizer.

To serve as an appetizer, place the pieces on a platter. Garnish with some green onion or parsley and serve with toothpicks.

To enjoy as a main course, serve with sticky white rice or tuck into tortillas for out-of-this-world tacos.

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Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just reheat in the microwave. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 6 months.

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