Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook time: 7-8 hours
Burnt ends are my thing. If you know, you know…right? Pulled pork is the gold standard and amazing. The best part of pulled pork is always the crispy edges that are covered in seasoning and smokey sauce. So, some BBBQ genius figured out that you could turn a whole pork butt (or shoulder) into perfect, crispy, burnt ends and have the best of both worlds. And we are on board!
Most BBQ places make their burnt ends out of beef brisket. That is all just fine and good, no arguments here. I started working this recipe using pork for one reason…..because that’s what I had in my freezer. So there you go. I would say that the pork not as rich or as decadent as brisket. It is a little fatty during the cooking process, but we will get to that below. The key to this recipe is to take your time, develop your seasoning/rub, and keep your smoke and temp in check.
What you need:
- 1 bone in pork shoulder or butt (you can use either, I have had good results with both. I usually try to use a 6 pounder…but you can go bigger if you have the space on your smoker).
- A bunch of BBQ rub. Make your own or use store bought. Just have a good amount on hand.
- BBQ sauce. Again, I make my own (see recipe below). If you have some sauce from the store, you can always “church” it up with some added apple cider vinegar, tabasco, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, you know…just add what makes you happy.
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- A few disposable aluminum pans
Ready?
- Take your shoulder or butt and trim the fat (the thick visible fat). Cut the meat off the bone (save the bone for soups etc).
- Once the meat is off the bone, I cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. You don’t have to be precise here, a little bigger or smaller will not make a difference. You want them to fit on your BBQ grill rack (and remember they will shrink when cooking…so don’t go too small here.
- Place all the meat into the aluminum pans and cover in your BBQ rub. I like to use tongs here to stir up the meat and get each piece equally covered in seasoning.
- Next, get your smoker set at 275 degrees using an indirect plate or pan. You don’t want the meat directly over the fire.
- The best way to cook your burnt ends is to put all the meat on your grill rack. My rack is just about crammed full with little to no space left.
- This is the point where I leave the pork smoking until the meat gets to an internal temperature of 190 degrees. Some people like to spray with apple juice every hour or so….I don’t…but do what makes you happy here.
- When your pork hits 190 degrees, remove the pork and put back into the aluminum pans. At this point I mix the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, honey, and some of your BBQ rub together in a bowl. Cover the meat with your sauce mixture and stir around with some tongs so they are evenly covered.
- You might ask about specific measurements here for the seasoning, honey, and sauce…but I don’t have exact quantities. I would guess that I use about 3-4 tbsp of bbq sauce, 2 tbsp of honey, 2 tbsp of brown sugar, and a liberal amount of seasoning. The sugars and the seasoning are what will give you the caramelized “burnt” look and flavor. I don’t think you can really go wrong here.
- Next, I take the aluminum pan and go back in the smoker, uncovered, for 30 minutes to an hour. I check every 30 minutes and toss them around to help cook them evenly. The sauce should reduce, the color should turn dark, and the “bark” should develop. I taste test them every 30 minutes until they are slightly chewy but not, NOT, shredding. Remember, you are making burnt ends here, not pulled pork.
- Pull from your smoker, let them rest for 5 minutes and have at them.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe, leave a comment if you would like, we would be happy to hear how your Burnt Ends turned out. If you are looking for some side dishes that pair really well with your pork, check these recipes from our website, Macaroni Salad, New York Potato Salad, Blistered Shishito Peppers, or some Grilled Street Corn. We also have a great sauce recipe if you are ready to get crazy….White BBQ Sauce.
Thanks!