The Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Hibiscus BBQ Sauce are smoked and caramelized pork belly bites with a barbecue sauce flavored with hibiscus flowers.
The pork belly is cut into cubes and then smoked at a low temperature in the kamado to create a well-developed bark (crust).
The barbecue sauce (also abbreviated as BBQ sauce) is used as a marinade, seasoning, or garnish for meat cooked on the barbecue, including pork, beef, and chicken.
The ingredients vary, but most include vinegar or tomato paste (or a combination) as a base, along with onion powder, spices, black pepper, and sweeteners like sugar or molasses.
It’s a ubiquitous condiment in the southern United States, with Heinz being the first major company to sell bottled barbecue sauce in 1940.
Most American barbecue sauces can trace their roots to a common sauce in the eastern regions of North Carolina and South Carolina.
My version of hibiscus BBQ sauce includes: tomato pulp, vinegar, maple syrup, chili, hot paprika, ginger, salt, and pepper, and of course hibiscus flowers.
On the blog, you’ll find another recipe for Pork Belly Burnt Ends, but in the barbecue style of Kansas City.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Other, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Hibiscus BBQ Sauce:
- 2.2 lbs pork belly (without rind)
- 1.8 oz pork rub (you can use a spice mix of your choice)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 5.4 oz tomato sauce
- 3.7 oz maple syrup
- to taste hot paprika
- to taste chili
- to taste ginger
- to taste salt and pepper
Tools
- 1 kamado
- 1 Baking Tray aluminum
Steps
Steep the hibiscus flowers for 30 minutes in a cup of boiling water.
In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients and finally add the flavored water.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the flowers.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Preparing the Kamado:
Light the Kamado and bring it to a stable temperature of 302°F for indirect cooking.
Preparing the Meat:
Cut the pork belly into cubes about 1.2 inches.
In a bowl, season the cubes with the pork rub and brown sugar, ensuring they are well coated.
First Cooking Phase:
Arrange the cubes on the Kamado grill, using an indirect cooking setup.Close the lid and cook for about 2.5 hours until the cubes have a nice outer crust.
Second Cooking Phase:
Transfer the cubes to an aluminum tray.
Add the BBQ sauce. Mix well to evenly coat the cubes.
Cover the tray with a sheet of aluminum foil and return it to the Kamado. Cook for another hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove the aluminum foil and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the cubes are well caramelized.I served them with a crunchy cabbage and carrot salad with lime and yogurt vinaigrette.
Hibiscus Flowers:
There are hundreds of species of hibiscus, but the most popular edible variety is known as roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa.
Hibiscus flowers can grow up to 6 inches in diameter and are found in a wide range of colors, including red, white, yellow, and various shades of pink.
They can be used for making sauces, jellies, jams and wines. The tender leaves can be eaten in salads.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the difference between pork belly burnt ends and pork belly bites?
“Pork belly bites” and “pork belly burnt ends” both refer to pork belly bites, but with slightly different preparations.
“Pork belly bites” can simply be pieces of pork belly cut into cubes or other shapes, while “pork belly burnt ends” are smoked and glazed pork belly cubes, typically with a sugar-, butter-, and barbecue sauce-based glaze, resulting in a more intense and distinctive outcome.
Pork Belly Bites:
Preparation: The pork belly is simply cut into small pieces or cubes.
Cooking: They can be cooked in the oven, pan, grill, or barbecue.
Flavor: They have a more “naked” pork belly flavor, with a balance between fat and meat.
Utility: Ideal as snacks, finger food, or as an ingredient for other recipesWhat is the recipe for crunchy cabbage and carrot salad with lime and yogurt vinaigrette?
Ingredients:
7 oz cabbage (white or purple), thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated or julienned
1 jar of plain natural yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Some mint leaves
🥣 Preparation:
Mix cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.
Prepare the vinaigrette by combining yogurt, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper.
Dress the vegetables, mix well, and let rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before serving.
