Crème Brûlée Burnt Ends

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Start with a whole skin-on pork belly.
  2. 2Start with a whole skin-on pork belly.
  3. 3Start with a whole skin-on pork belly.
  4. 4With a sharp knife, make tiny holes, barely piercing the skin side.
  5. 5With a sharp knife, make tiny holes, barely piercing the skin side.
  6. 6With a sharp knife, make tiny holes, barely piercing the skin side.
  7. 7On the meat side, make slices both the short way and the long way without cutting through the skin.
  8. 8On the meat side, make slices both the short way and the long way without cutting through the skin.
  9. 9On the meat side, make slices both the short way and the long way without cutting through the skin.
  10. 10Season the meat side with salt and pepper.
  11. 11Season the meat side with salt and pepper.
  12. 12Season the meat side with salt and pepper.
  13. 13Season the skin side with just salt to dry brine.
  14. 14Season the skin side with just salt to dry brine.
  15. 15Season the skin side with just salt to dry brine.
  16. 16Smoke over applewood, low and slow.
  17. 17Smoke over applewood, low and slow.
  18. 18Smoke over applewood, low and slow.
  19. 19Once the skin side is dried out, blast it in a hot oven until the skin is crispy.
  20. 20Once the skin side is dried out, blast it in a hot oven until the skin is crispy.
  21. 21Once the skin side is dried out, blast it in a hot oven until the skin is crispy.
  22. 22Hit the burnt end meat side with barbecue sauce.
  23. 23Hit the burnt end meat side with barbecue sauce.
  24. 24Hit the burnt end meat side with barbecue sauce.
  25. 25Put it back in the oven to tack up.
  26. 26Put it back in the oven to tack up.
  27. 27Put it back in the oven to tack up.
  28. 28Add sugar over the top for the brûlée finish.
  29. 29Add sugar over the top for the brûlée finish.
  30. 30Add sugar over the top for the brûlée finish.
  31. 31Hit it with a flamethrower until a shimmering, caramelized casing is formed.
  32. 32Hit it with a flamethrower until a shimmering, caramelized casing is formed.
  33. 33Hit it with a flamethrower until a shimmering, caramelized casing is formed.
  34. 34Cut and serve.
  35. 35Cut and serve.
  36. 36Cut and serve.

Ingredients

  • skin-on pork belly
  • skin-on pork belly
  • skin-on pork belly
  • salt
  • salt
  • salt
  • pepper
  • pepper
  • pepper
  • barbecue sauce
  • barbecue sauce
  • barbecue sauce
  • sugar
  • sugar
  • sugar

Equipment

sharp knifesmokerovenbaking sheetwire racktorch

Tips

  • Slow smoke the pork belly to develop flavor and tenderize.
  • Finish in a hot oven (450°F) until the skin is crispy. Pork belly's high fat content prevents it from drying out in a hot oven.
  • Brûlée the skin for a candied crunch.