Utterly indulgent and surprisingly simple to make, these pork belly bites are meltingly tender and packed with flavor. You can prepare them on a smoker or in the oven; either method delivers succulent, sticky, caramelized bites that disappear fast—so plan to make extra.
Pork Belly Bites
These pork belly bites are rich, indulgent, and among the best things you can put on a plate. Cubed pork belly is generously dry-rubbed, slow-cooked until tender, then finished in a glossy mahogany glaze of brown sugar and honey. The result is sweet, savory, slightly spicy, and utterly irresistible—perfect for summer barbecues, game day, or any occasion that calls for something wickedly delicious.
If you love burnt ends from brisket, you’ll recognize the appeal: bite-sized pieces of meat with an exterior crust and an interior that practically melts in your mouth. Here we borrow that idea and apply it to pork belly, creating little morsels of concentrated flavor with a sticky, aromatic glaze.
The recipe suggests about a cup of dry rub for the amount of pork belly called for. Use your favorite pork-friendly rub—garlic, smoked paprika, brown sugar blends, or a premade rub will all work well.
Smoked Pork Belly
There are two main ways to cook these bites: smoking or oven-roasting. If you have a smoker, smoking gives the most authentic barbecue flavor and makes the process mostly hands-off. I recommend fruit woods—apple or cherry—for a mild, sweet smoke that complements the pork, but other mild woods are fine too.
On a pellet smoker set to 275ºF, place the cubed, seasoned pork belly on a cooling rack over a rimmed half-sheet pan and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 190–195ºF. Spritz with apple juice as needed to prevent them from drying. After the initial smoke, finish the bites in a foil pan with brown sugar, butter, and honey until they reach 200–205ºF and the glaze is sticky and glossy. Drain excess liquid, toss lightly in barbecue sauce if desired, then return uncovered for a short time to set the glaze.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends — Oven Method
No smoker? No problem. The oven method produces excellent pork belly burnt ends with similar texture and flavor. Set the oven to 275ºF, arrange the seasoned cubes on a cooling rack over a rimmed sheet pan, and roast until they reach 190–195ºF, spritzing with apple juice if they look dry.
Move the bites to a foil pan, sprinkle with brown sugar, dot with butter, and drizzle with honey and any leftover apple juice. Cover and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 200–205ºF and the glaze has melded into the meat. Drain excess liquid, toss with a little barbecue sauce if you like, then bake uncovered briefly to set the sauce. Serve hot or warm.
Pork Belly Bites
Rebecca Lindamood
Equipment
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half sheet pan
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cooling rack
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small mixing bowl
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fork
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chef’s knife
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cutting board
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measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 3 pounds to 5 pounds skinless pork belly cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup dry rub Amount is approximate. Use your preferred pork rub
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup butter cut into pats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce optional
Instructions
To Make on a Pellet Grill or Smoker:
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Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 275ºF with apple, cherry, or another mild wood. Prepare a cooling rack set over a rimmed half-sheet pan.
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Toss the pork belly cubes with enough dry rub to coat them thoroughly. Arrange the cubes on the rack with space between each so smoke can circulate.
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Smoke the cubes for about 2 hours, spritzing with apple juice if they begin to look dry, until the internal temperature reaches 190–195ºF.
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Transfer the bites to a disposable foil pan. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, dot with butter, and drizzle with honey, hot sauce, and any remaining apple juice.
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Cover with foil and return to the smoker for about 1½ hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200–205ºF and the bites are tender and glazed.
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Drain excess liquid, toss the bites with a small amount of barbecue sauce if desired, then return the pan uncovered to the smoker for 10–15 minutes to set the sauce. Serve hot or warm.
To Cook Pork Belly Burnt Ends in the Oven
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Preheat oven to 275ºF and set a cooling rack over a rimmed half-sheet pan.
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Coat the pork belly cubes in dry rub and arrange them on the rack with space for air to circulate.
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Bake for about 2 hours, spritzing with apple juice if they look dry, until the internal temperature reaches 190–195ºF.
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Move the cubes to a foil pan, scatter brown sugar over them, add pats of butter, and drizzle with honey and reserved apple juice.
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Cover with foil and bake another 1½ hours, until the internal temperature is 200–205ºF and the glaze is tacky and well-integrated.
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Drain excess liquid, toss with a little barbecue sauce if desired, then return uncovered to the oven for 10–15 minutes to set the sauce. Serve hot or warm.
How to Store Leftovers and Reheat
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Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
To reheat: Arrange in a single layer on a foil- or parchment-lined pan and heat in a 350ºF oven for 5–10 minutes, or in a 375ºF air fryer for about 4 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if you require precise values.
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