Explore a world of new flavors with my Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends. This is hands down one of the best pork belly burnt ends recipes! It features bite-sized pieces of meat rendered to perfection on the Traeger Ironwood XL. The meat is seasoned with a decadent blend of paprika, brown sugar, pepper, and salt, which sinks in during the cooking process. Once the meat is fork-tender, it’s smothered in a spicy, sweet BBQ sauce and silky smooth glaze. The end result is a platter full of mouthwatering burnt ends.
This recipe is a great way to celebrate the warm apple flavors of fall or embrace summer’s endless bounty of cherries. With a kick of heat, these burnt ends can go from season to season effortlessly. If you love pork recipes with a balance of flavors, you’ll adore this one. Try this recipe for your next backyard cookout, or use it as a finger-licking appetizer. You can also freeze the burnt ends for a ready-made snack for the big game!
Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends | Heath Riles BBQ
Burnt ends have been a BBQ favorite for decades and found their roots in Kansas City competitions. Not wanting to waste a single bite, pitmasters used to give these snacks away to spectators. Many people think of beef brisket when they hear “burnt ends,” but pork belly is a budget-friendly alternative that anyone can indulge in. The high fat content of the pork allows the meat to render into a succulent, juicy bite. The outside morphs into a crisp texture reminiscent of bacon. I created a truly unique burnt ends recipe by adding rich, savory cherry, apple, and brown sugar notes.
The Ingredients
Want to amaze your friends and family with the perfect pork belly burnt ends recipe? Here are the ingredients you need to make it happen.
- Pork belly. This cut of meat comes from the belly of the pig and is often associated with bacon. This tender cut is one of the most underrated cuts in my opinion, and gives you a lot of bang for your buck. I found my pork belly at Kroger, but you can usually find them at any butcher and many big-box stores.
- Mustard. Mustard makes an excellent binder that gives pork just the right amount of zest. I recommend using smooth mustard, like French’s, instead of grainy Dijon mustard. If you prefer, you can use avocado oil, olive oil, water, or no binder. I prefer using a binder, though, as it helps the spices to stick to the meat. `
- Heath Riles BBQ Hot Rub. Don’t let the name fool you, this AP rub is mild enough that anyone can enjoy it. It contains a beautiful mix of paprika, spices, garlic, and brown sugar. Use it to add color (and flavor!) to ribs, steaks, roasts, and of course, burnt ends.
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. This rub was a key part of first-place rib win at the 2022 & 2024 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! It’s specially formulated for pork, but you can also use it on chicken and beef.
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Sauce. I created this BBQ sauce with good buddies of mine from the Checkered Pig, and we are so excited to share it with the world. At the 2022 & 2024 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest, we combined this sauce with Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce and got winning results! You’ll feel like a winner whenever you open a bottle too.
- Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero BBQ Glaze. My new line of glazes adds beautiful shine and color to pork roasts, burnt ends, and ribs. You can blend it with BBQ sauce or use it alone. It features spicy peppers, but the flavor is pretty mild. This product was six years in the making and was well worth the effort!
- Butter. Instead of melting the butter, I went the easy route and added pats of butter to the top of the pork belly pan. This gave me a wrap effect in half the time!
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites can be found in the Equipment and Tools section.
- Pellet grill/smoker. I smoked my burnt ends on the Traeger Ironwood XL. This pit has plenty of flexibility and boasts fun features like a pellet sensor and super-smoke button. Even though it’s technologically advanced, the pit is simple to use. These grills last for years and are an excellent investment for backyard chefs and competitors. It’s a great addition to any patio and is a favorite among those who like to cook large quantities at once.
- Charcoal. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. These amazing pellets are ideal for smoking steaks, ribs, burnt ends, and dips. They infuse each bite with a kiss of smoke and don’t contain any fillers. The best part? They burn hot and fast! Grab a bag at your local big-box store.
The Process for Making Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends
You’ll find a detailed, visual demonstration of how to make pork belly burnt ends within the video. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I made these delectable Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
- Fire up the pit. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood XL with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 300℉.
- Cube the pork belly. My pork belly came perfectly trimmed, but if yours didn’t, now is the time to remove any stray pieces of bone and excess fat pockets. You don’t have to worry too much about evening out the meat; we’re just going to cube it. Once the pork belly is trimmed to your liking, you’re ready to cube the meat using a sharp knife. I recommend the Victronix knife, as it’s high-quality and stays sharp. I prefer making uniform cubes of meat so it cooks evenly.
- Add binder and seasoning. I laid a cooling rack on top of a baking tray and sprayed it on both sides with avocado oil. This keeps the meat from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Then, I drizzled the pork belly cubes with mustard and seasoned them with Heath Riles BBQ Hot Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub.
- Start smoking. I laid each cube, belly (fat) side up on the cooling rack and dusted it with a little more Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I made sure the cubes were spaced with plenty of room for air flow between each piece of meat. Then, I set the rack on the Traeger Ironwood XL and let it smoke for 1 ½ hours. When the meat reached an internal temperature of 170℉, I transferred it to a large aluminum pan.
- Wrap the burnt ends. I drizzled the pork belly burnt ends with Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Sauce and Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero BBQ Glaze, stirring to combine. Then, I topped the mixture with a few pats of butter, covered the pan with aluminum foil, and set the meat on the Traeger Ironwood XL to render for 1 ½ hours, giving me a total cook time of 3 hours. I took the pan off the grill and let the Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends cool before digging in.
The Results
My Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends came off the pit with a beautiful color. They had a sticky-sweet texture that left me wanting more with every bite. The notes of cherry and apple were offset beautifully by the savory notes in my Competition Rub.
Serving Suggestions for Smoked Burnt Ends Pork Belly
You can serve these burnt ends on their own or add a fun side dish like my Creamy Coleslaw or Grilled Corn. The Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends can be used as an appetizer or main dish, depending on your mood.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover Spicy Cherry Apple Pork Belly Burnt Ends in the fridge for up to four days or freeze them for up to four months. If reheating from frozen, you may want to add a little more BBQ sauce to keep things feeling fresh.
Equipment and Tools
Aluminum foil, Traeger Ironwood XL, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, wire cooling racks, Heath Riles BBQ Heat Resistant Gloves, disposable cutting board.
