The Motherlode Fall 2024

Another fun side dish suggestion comes from Sean Stoll of Blue Dog Barbecue. Their Pork Belly Burnt Ends take some time to prepare but can be cooked ahead of time and reheated at your tailgate. PORK BELLY BURNT ENDS (PIG CANDY) “They are the perfect bite of smoky, salty, sweet, fatty and meaty. They are basically adult candy!” -Sean Stoll, Blue Dog Barbecue

Ingredients:

4 lb pork belly Tip: If you find skin off that will save you some time, but make sure there is still a good balance of fat to meat.

1 stick of butter, cubed 1/4 cup favorite BBQ rub 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 cup favorite BBQ sauce

Equipment: Smoker or grill

Preparation: 1. Preheat your smoker or grill to 275˚ 2. Lay pork belly skin side down and use your knife to remove the skin. » Tip: A sharp slicer knife works well and the colder the better for the pork belly. It makes the skin easier to remove. 3. Cut into 1x1” cubes. 4. Coat your pork cubes in your favorite BBQ rub. 5. Place your coated pork cubes on your smoker or grill. » Tip: If you have a cooling rack and can arrange them on that first, it will make transferring much easier. 6. Close your smoker or grill and smoke for two hours. 7. Place your burnt ends into a pan and add your butter, honey, and brown sugar. 8. Cover your pan in foil and place back on the smoker or grill for an hour and a half. 9. Remove the foil from your pan of burnt ends and coat in your favorite BBQ sauce. 10. Place the pan back on the smoker uncovered for another 15 minutes. 11. Your burnt ends are ready to serve! Place the pan on your tailgate line ready to go!

Photo courtesy of Sean Stoll

» Pro tip: Place a cup of toothpicks next to them to keep hands clean while you're drinking and enjoying the tailgate.

FALL 2024 | 87

Powered by