Traeger Pork Belly Burnt Ends: Tender, Smoky, and Irresistible

If you have never made Traeger pork belly burnt ends, you are missing out on one of the best things a pellet grill can produce. These little cubes of pork belly are smoked low and slow until they develop a deep bark on the outside, then braised in a butter-honey-BBQ glaze until they become impossibly tender. The result is a bite-sized piece of meat that is crispy on the edges, melt-in-your-mouth soft in the center, and coated in a sticky, sweet-savory glaze that will have people fighting over the last piece.

Pork belly burnt ends originated as a riff on traditional brisket burnt ends. The fatty pork belly actually lends itself even better to this treatment because the high fat content bastes the meat from the inside during the long cook, keeping everything moist while the exterior renders and crisps. On a Traeger, the consistent temperature control means you can walk away and let the grill do the work without worrying about temperature swings.

Choosing the Right Pork Belly

Start with a 5-pound slab of skin-off pork belly. Most grocery stores and butcher counters sell pork belly in 3 to 5-pound slabs. Here is what to look for:

• Skin off. You want the rub and smoke to penetrate the meat directly. Skin-on pork belly is great for other applications (like crispy pork belly or porchetta), but for burnt ends, the skin prevents bark formation.
• Even thickness. Try to find a slab that is roughly uniform in thickness. Thin spots will cook faster and can dry out while the thick spots are still rendering.
• Good marbling. You want visible layers of fat running through the meat. More fat means more flavor and a more tender finished product.
• Fresh, not previously frozen if possible. Fresh pork belly renders more evenly and develops better bark.

If your slab has the skin on, ask your butcher to remove it, or carefully slice it off at home with a very sharp knife.

The Dry Rub

This rub balances sweet, savory, and a touch of heat. The brown sugar caramelizes during the smoke to form that beautiful dark bark, while the smoked paprika reinforces the wood-fire flavor from the pellets.

Rub Ingredients

• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp for mild)
• 1 tsp salt

Mix all the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. This makes enough for a 5-pound slab with a little extra.

Preparing the Pork Belly

1. Cut into cubes. Slice the pork belly into roughly 1.5-inch cubes. They do not need to be perfect -- slight variation in size adds visual appeal and gives you a range of textures from slightly firmer to ultra-tender.
2. Apply the binder. Place the cubes in a large bowl and toss with yellow mustard. The mustard acts as a glue for the rub and burns off completely during cooking -- you will not taste it in the finished product.
3. Season generously. Sprinkle the dry rub over the mustard-coated cubes and toss until every surface is evenly coated. Do not be shy with the rub. Pork belly is thick and fatty, so it can handle aggressive seasoning.
4. Let it sit. For the best results, place the seasoned cubes on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. This lets the rub penetrate and helps form a tacky surface called a pellicle, which helps smoke adhere to the meat.

If you are short on time, you can cook immediately after seasoning. The results will still be excellent.

Phase 1: The Smoke (225°F for 3 Hours)

This is where the magic starts. Low-temperature smoking renders the fat slowly, builds the bark, and infuses deep smoke flavor into every cube.

1. Set your Traeger to 225°F. Use Traeger Hickory Pellets or Cherry Pellets for the best results with pork belly. Hickory gives a bold, traditional BBQ flavor while cherry adds a subtle sweetness.
2. Place the seasoned pork belly cubes directly on the grill grates with space between each piece. Airflow around all sides is important for even bark development.
3. Close the lid and smoke for 3 hours. Resist the urge to open the lid -- every time you do, you lose heat and smoke.
4. At the 3-hour mark, the cubes should have a deep mahogany color and a firm bark on the outside. The internal temperature should be around 190 to 195°F.

If you have a Traeger with Super Smoke mode (like the Ironwood or Timberline series), use it during this phase for maximum smoke penetration.

Phase 2: The Braise (275°F for 1-2 Hours)

This is the step that transforms good pork belly into extraordinary pork belly. The braising liquid creates a sticky glaze while the higher temperature finishes rendering the fat and pushes the meat to the point of being fork-tender.

Glaze Ingredients

• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite -- Sweet Baby Ray's or a mustard-based sauce both work well)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Braising Instructions

1. Transfer the smoked pork belly cubes to a large aluminum foil pan.
2. Add the BBQ sauce, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Toss the cubes gently to coat.
3. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Increase the Traeger temperature to 275°F.
5. Place the covered pan back on the grill and cook for 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour, remove the foil and stir the cubes gently. The glaze should be bubbling and thickened. If the cubes are probe-tender (a toothpick slides in with zero resistance), they are done. If they still feel firm, re-cover and cook for another 30 to 60 minutes.
7. Once probe-tender, remove the foil and cook uncovered for a final 15 minutes to let the glaze caramelize and get sticky on the outside.

The total braise time is typically 1.5 to 2 hours, but it depends on the size of your cubes and the fat content of your particular pork belly. Trust the probe test over the clock.

How to Tell When Pork Belly Burnt Ends Are Done

Internal temperature: The final internal temp should be around 200 to 210°F. Use a Thermapen One to check -- it is the fastest and most accurate instant-read thermometer on the market.

Probe test: Insert a toothpick, skewer, or thermometer probe into a cube. It should slide in and out with absolutely no resistance, like poking room-temperature butter. If there is any tug or resistance, keep cooking.

Visual cues: The exterior should be dark, almost black in spots, with a sticky glaze. The cubes should jiggle slightly when you shake the pan, which indicates the fat has fully rendered.

Serving Suggestions

Pork belly burnt ends are incredible on their own, but here are some ways to serve them:

• As an appetizer. Pile them on a platter with toothpicks. They will disappear in minutes at any gathering.
• On a sandwich. Stack burnt ends on a brioche bun with coleslaw and pickles.
• Over rice. Serve over steamed white rice with the pan glaze drizzled on top and sliced green onions.
• With mac and cheese. Pile burnt ends on top of a bowl of smoked mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort food combination.
• On nachos. Layer over tortilla chips with queso, jalapenos, and sour cream.

Pellet Flavor Pairing Guide for Pork Belly

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cutting the cubes too small. Cubes smaller than 1 inch will dry out before the fat has time to render. Stick to 1.5 inches for the best balance of bark-to-meat ratio.

Skipping the braise. You can eat the cubes after the initial smoke phase, but they will be chewier and less tender. The braising step is what makes them "burnt ends" -- that sticky, caramelized, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Not rendering long enough. Pork belly has thick layers of fat that need time to break down. If the cubes feel rubbery or waxy, they need more time. Trust the probe test.

Too much sauce. The glaze should coat the cubes, not drown them. You want sticky, not swimming. You can always add more sauce at serving time if someone wants extra.

Forgetting to remove the foil. That final 15 minutes uncovered is what gives the burnt ends their signature sticky, caramelized exterior. Do not skip it.

Cleaning Up After Pork Belly

Pork belly produces a significant amount of rendered fat that will drip through the grill grates. Make sure you have a Traeger drip tray liner in place before cooking. After the cook, let the grill cool, remove the liner, and give the grates a quick scrub with a Traeger grill brush.

For a full walkthrough on maintaining your grill after greasy cooks, read our guide on how to clean your Traeger grill.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover pork belly burnt ends in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Save any remaining glaze from the pan and store it separately.

Freezer: Pork belly burnt ends freeze exceptionally well. Place cooled cubes in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: The best method is to place the burnt ends in a foil pan, drizzle with a tablespoon of apple juice or the reserved glaze, cover with foil, and reheat on the Traeger at 275°F for 20 to 25 minutes. You can also microwave them in a pinch -- cover and heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Final Thoughts

Traeger pork belly burnt ends are one of those recipes that looks and tastes like it took serious skill to make, but the process is surprisingly forgiving. The fat content in pork belly gives you a wide margin of error -- it is very hard to dry out -- and the two-phase cooking method (smoke then braise) produces consistently incredible results.

Once you have made this recipe, it will become a regular in your rotation. For more Traeger recipe ideas, browse our complete recipe collection, try our smoked chicken thighs for another easy protein, or make a batch of smoked mac and cheese for the perfect side dish.