Hot Honey Pork Belly Burnt Ends

If you thought regular pork belly burnt ends were indulgent, just wait until you try hot honey pork belly burnt ends. These smoky, bite-sized cubes of pork belly get tossed in a rich glaze of BBQ sauce and hot honey, delivering the perfect balance of sweet heat and sticky caramelized edges.

Inspired by the classic “meat candy” style, this version adds a fiery twist that makes them even more irresistible.

Choosing your pork belly

When you head to your local butcher, you want to look for a fresh, center-cut pork belly. Many butchers will offer it with the skin on, but I prefer to find pork belly with the skin removed if I can find it.

The side of the pork belly should show distinct layers of fat and meat. Look for meat with a rich, reddish, or pink tone and try to find a slab with an abundant layer of meat breaking up the layers of fat.

Pork belly is best prepared when cooked low and slow. You want to give the fat a chance to render, so cooking it at low temperatures is the best bet. That is why this recipe is the perfect way to prepare a slab of pork belly.

You can also make BBQ smoked pork belly by cooking it whole and slicing it at the end.

How to make Hot Honey Pork Belly Burnt Ends

1. Cube

If your pork belly still has the skin attached, you want to remove that first.

To remove the skin, take a small, sharp knife and run it along the edge of the skin and the first layer of fat. 

The first step to preparing Pork Belly Burnt Ends is to cut your pork belly into cubes. You want to aim for cubes that are even in size, about 1-1/2” thick. 

Hold your knife firmly in your dominant hand, then place the other hand on the slab. Start at the edge and pull the knife towards you slowly to cut the slab into strips. Then take those strips and cut them in the other direction to create your cubes.

2. Season

Pork does not have much inherent flavor, and the fat content makes pork belly very rich. It’s important to season every cube on all sides to impart maximum flavor.

You can use any barbecue rub, but I recommend something sweet that is designed for pork. For this recipe, I used the PS Seasoning Hot Honey Bee Sting rub. It’s infused with honey and a kick of chipotle, making it the perfect rub for these hot honey pork belly burnt ends.

Once each cube is well-seasoned, lay them out on a jerky tray (or wire rack) and space them out about 2” apart on the rack. Place the cubes of pork belly with the fat cap facing down.

3. Fire up the smoker

As I mentioned before, pork belly is best prepared when cooked at a low temperature. It’s important to give the fat plenty of time to render during the cooking process.

For this recipe, I smoked the pork belly at 250°F on my Camp Chef Woodwind 24 pellet smoker. I used pecan wood pellets because I love the subtle flavor of pecan when I smoke pork.

Place the jerky tray on the grates of the smoker and let the pork belly smoke for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature is up to about 175°F and a nice crust has formed on each cube.

I use my trusty Thermapen to check internal temps.

4. It’s all about the sauce

The sticky, sweet sauce that coats these pork belly burnt ends really makes them taste like “meat candy.”

It’s a simple combination of barbecue sauce, butter, and honey that creates a delicious sauce that perfectly complements the fattiness of the pork belly.

I wanted to give these burnt ends a hot honey twist, so I used the PS Seasoning Hot Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce combined with a bit of melted butter and a generous dose of Mike’s Hot Honey.

We’ve also got a recipe for making your own smoked hot honey, so give that a try if you if you prefer to DIY.

Give that mixture a good mix in a small bowl until it’s well combined, then pull your pork belly off the smoker and dump the cubes into the sauce. Give the bowl a good shake then transfer them to an aluminum tray.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and place it back on the smoker, still at 250°F for another 45 minutes to an hour.

After about 45 minutes, remove the foil from the top of the tray and let the cubes continue to smoke for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 203°F. 

When they reach an internal temperature of 203°F, they are ready to enjoy. Let them cool for a few minutes, but you don’t need to let them rest for very long.

The finishing touch is another drizzle of Hot Honey over the top and they’re ready to enjoy.

You can serve them as an appetizer or as a main dish alongside your favorite barbecue sides!

Try these other burnt end recipes next

• Poor Man’s Burnt Ends
• Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends With Hot Honey Glaze
• BBQ Brisket Burnt Ends
• Hot Dog Burnt Ends

Hot honey pork belly burnt ends are everything you love about barbecue — smoky, sticky, sweet — with a fiery twist that keeps you coming back for more. If you gave this recipe a try, we’d love to hear what you think! Drop a star rating below along with any questions or tips you have.