Pork Belly Burnt Ends (Carnivore) - For the Carnivore Diet

Rich, tender pork belly cubes with crisp edges and a sticky, meat-only glaze. No sugar, no plants—just pork, salt, and animal fat for pure carnivore comfort.

These pork belly burnt ends deliver the caramelized look and sticky bite you want, without any sugar or plant-based sauces. They’re salted, slowly rendered, and finished with a reduction of bone broth and their own juices for a glossy, savory coating.

You can smoke them for classic barbecue flavor or use your oven and still get crisp edges and buttery centers. The key is cooking in three phases: render and color, covered braise to tenderness, then an uncovered glaze to set and crisp. A little beef tallow boosts richness, and gelatin (optional) helps the glaze cling if your broth isn’t very gelatinous.

Aim for evenly sized cubes so they cook at the same pace, and don’t rush the finish—those last uncovered minutes are where the edges turn irresistible. Leftovers reheat beautifully in a hot skillet or air fryer until sizzling.

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) skinless pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 2 to 3 tsp kosher salt (about 0.5–0.75% of meat weight)
• 2 tbsp beef tallow, melted
• 3/4 cup unsalted beef bone broth (meat-only, gelatin-rich)
• 1 tsp unflavored beef gelatin (optional, for a stickier glaze)
• Flaky finishing salt to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat: Smoker to 275°F (135°C) with mild hardwood, or oven to 300°F (150°C) with a wire rack set over a foil-lined sheet pan.
2. Season and oil: Pat pork belly cubes dry. Toss with kosher salt and melted beef tallow until lightly coated.
3. Render and color: Arrange cubes spaced apart on the rack. Smoke/roast 2 to 2.5 hours, until browned with rendered fat pooling and edges starting to crisp.
4. Braise to tender: Transfer cubes to a shallow foil pan. Add beef bone broth (it should come about one-third to halfway up the cubes). Cover tightly with foil and cook 60 to 90 minutes, until fork-tender.
5. Reduce and glaze: Uncover. Carefully pour pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer to reduce to a syrupy consistency. If the liquid isn’t naturally sticky, whisk in the beef gelatin off heat to dissolve.
6. Finish: Pour the reduced glaze back over the cubes and toss to coat. Return to the smoker/oven uncovered at 300–325°F (150–165°C) for 15 to 25 minutes, tossing once, until the edges are sizzling and the glaze clings.
7. Rest and serve: Let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and finish with a pinch of flaky salt if desired. Serve hot.

Time: Prep 15 minutes | Cook 3 to 4 hours | Total 3.5 to 4.25 hours Servings: