The Smuggler's Journal

If brisket burnt ends are the classic, pork belly burnt ends are the shortcut - same sticky, caramelised payoff, half the cook time, and a lot more forgiving for a first attempt.

The Cut

Skinless pork belly, cut into 3-4cm cubes.

Smuggler's Pick (and two ways to run it)

Every good smuggler runs a few routes. Pick the one that suits your crew:

• The Classic Run — Taippan BBQ Brazilian Pork: a low & slow pork rub with a sweet base that caramelises hard in the glaze stage.
• The Cherry Route — Sinsque Grunt Cherry Pork Rub: built for pork belly specifically, fruit-forward.
• The Glaze Run — your favourite BBQ Sauce: tossed through in the final glaze step for stickiness.

Method

1. Cube pork belly into 3-4cm pieces, toss in rub to coat evenly.
2. Smoke at 120°C for 2-2.5 hours until a dark bark forms.
3. Transfer to a foil tray, toss with BBQ sauce, honey and a knob of butter.
4. Return to the smoker uncovered for 45-60 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until sticky and caramelised.
5. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve it with

On their own as a starter, or piled onto loaded fries.

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