Traeger Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Chinese 5 Spice
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This melt-in-your-mouth tender and zesty Chinese Five Spice pork belly burnt ends recipe for Traeger grills is a unique Asian-inspired twist on regular BBQ burnt ends that everyone will love!
At some point in time, we ended up with several pasture-raised pork bellies in the freezer. I don’t know how or why (okay, I guess I do… I got some through a meat subscription, some as a gift, and some when we purchased a half share of a whole hog from a local farmer).
Initially, I had the best intentions of making bacon. However, with the Super Bowl looming a few weeks ago, I wanted to find a way to turn one of them into a delectable appetizer.
I’ve mentioned this before in my Cranberry-BBQ sauce recipe, but I’m not actually the biggest fan of typical BBQ sauce. I just find it a bit, oh, I don’t know… boring? Uninspired?
But I truly appreciate a delicious re-imagined aromatic barbecue sauce with an east Asian twist, and that’s what I have created in this Chinese 5 Spice Orange-flavored BBQ sauce for this pork belly burnt ends recipe on Traeger (or other pellet smoker)!
Why You’ll Love This Delicious Recipe
The GREAT thing about these tender pork belly burnt ends is they are enveloped in smoky flavor and caramelized in the delicious orange 5-spice BBQ sauce to become sticky bites of savory meat candy. So incredible!
What is Chinese 5 Spice?
Chinese 5 spice is a blend of 5 spices used often in Chinese cuisine, including star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and cloves. Occasionally, you can find slight variations on the exact makeup of 5-spice, but these are the typical spices in the blend.
You can buy Chinese 5 Spice as a pre-made blend at your local grocery store or make it yourself with the individual spices. If you need a substitute for the Chinese 5 spice, check out the “Swaps & Variations” section of this post.
What is Pork Belly?
Pork belly is a boneless but fatty cut of meat that comes from the belly of the pig. Bacon is pork belly that is cured either with natural nitrites (like celery salt) or with curing salt and then sliced. Even “uncured” bacon is actually still cured, they just use different curing salts with “naturally occurring” nitrites.
Uncured pork belly is just that–pork belly. Not bacon. But this pork belly recipe is still tender and delicious and makes for an amazing BBQ appetizer that everybody will keep reaching for.
Ingredients
To make this delicious Chinese 5 Spice pork belly burnt ends recipe on Traeger, you need:
Pork Belly – You need a 2-3 lb slab of skinless pork belly. If your pork belly has skin, cut that off first. I like pasture-raised pork for the best possible fatty acid profile.
Spices – We use an array of spices in the seasoning for this pork belly, including sea salt, black pepper, Chinese 5 Spice powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. If you need a substitute for the Chinese 5 spice, check out the “Swaps & Variations” section.
Apple Cider Vinegar – You can use apple cider vinegar mixed with some water to spray the pork belly during the smoking process to keep it from drying out, but this is optional.
BBQ Sauce of Choice – Use a good quality store-bought BBQ sauce. I use a sugar-free sauce for this recipe to keep the added sugars down, but you can use whatever kind you want.
Navel Orange – You need the orange for its zest and its juice.
Green Onion – Sliced green onion makes a great garnish!
Instructions
Smoking your pork belly burnt ends on your Traeger couldn’t be easier!
1. Prep Pork Belly
Preheat your Traeger temperature to 275F. Cut your pork belly into 1-inch cubes using a very sharp knife and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Season Pork Belly
Mix together your seasonings–salt, pepper, Chinese 5 Spice, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. Whisk together and pour over the pork belly cubes. Use your hands to help mix and so all sides of the pork belly cubes are coated in seasoning.
3. Smoke the Pork Belly
Place the cubed pork belly evenly spaced apart on a wire rack, fat side down. Place the wire rack directly on the grill grates. Smoke for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depends how big you cut the cubes) or until the internal temperature reaches 190F-195F when a thermometer is inserted.
4. Spritz Pork if Needed
Check on the cubes of pork belly every half hour to ensure they’re not drying out. If needed, mix the 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water together in a spray bottle and spritz the pork belly to help it stay moist.
5. Mix BBQ Sauce
As the pork is cooking, mix your BBQ sauce. Add the 1 cup BBQ sauce to a medium bowl. Zest the navel orange into the sauce, then quarter the orange and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add the Chinese 5 Spice powder and whisk together. This is a delicately sweet sauce perfect for our pork belly. Set aside.
6. Toss Pork in BBQ
When the pork belly reaches 190-195F internal temperature, use tongs to pick each piece off the rack and place in a 9×13 disposable pan (or use a regular pan lined with aluminum foil). Remove the wire rack from the smoker grates and replace it with the foil pan. Pour the BBQ sauce over the pork belly pieces and gently toss to coat.
7. Reduce Sauce
Close the Traeger and let the pork belly cook for another hour or until the sauce has reduced and caramelized.
8. Serve
Garnish these tender chunks of pork belly burnt ends with sliced green onions and serve!
Quick Tips
Keep an eye on the internal temperature. The smoking time can vary quite a bit depending on how big you cut your pork belly cubes. I kept mine on the smaller side and they took less than an hour and a half to reach 190F. If you cut them large, they may take up to 3 hours. I love my Meater thermometer, but any meat thermometer will do.
Swaps & Variations
If you do not have access to a Chinese 5 Spice blend, there are two options for replacement:
- You can make your own blend using what you do have from the following: cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, sezchuan peppercorns, and cloves. Use equal amounts of what you do have to get 3-4 teaspoons of total spice.
- Another option is to use allspice. Allspice is the unripe fruit of a Jamaican tree dried and ground into a spice. It has warm flavoring with similar notes to the unique spices in Chinese 5 Spice, and it would taste great as a substitute. It’s also easy to find at most stores.
If you want a spicier rub, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to your seasoning mix.
Other Delicious Party Food Recipes
Check out my Traeger Recipes and Pork Recipes sections for more smoked meat ideas.
For even more appetizer ideas, check out my Appetizers section!
Easy Hawaiian Roll Beef & Cheddar Sliders
These Hawaiian Roll Beef & Cheddar Sliders are the perfect heavy appetizer! Serve with some Instant Pot Coconut Rice to complete the meal.
Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers
These savory, creamy mini peppers are stuffed with homemade sausage, tangy cream cheese, and topped with nutty parmesan for a truly addicting healthy appetizer!
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mini Peppers
These buffalo chicken mini peppers are just 50 calories a pop! Serve with my healthy protein ranch and you have the perfect healthy appetizer to enjoy while you stay on track with your goals.
Smoked Chicken Legs with Chimichurri
This fresh, summery meal couldn’t be easier!
Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
This simple smoked chicken with homemade citrus rub cooks up quickly and tastes gourmet.
Nutritional Information
This recipe makes 8-12 servings. The details below are estimated based on my 2-lb pork belly and sugar-free BBQ sauce. Your stats may vary.
- Calories: 406
- Protein: 12 grams
- Fat: 61 grams
- Carbs: 19 grams
This pork belly burnt ends recipe on the Traeger is not a low-calorie meal. Rather, these are an indulgent snack or appetizer to be enjoyed as part of a balanced lifestyle. They’re absolutely delicious and a great use for any pork belly you may have stashed in your freezer!
Recipe Notes
These burnt ends probably won’t last long, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can gently reheat these the next day or beyond in the microwave or air fryer, but make sure you don’t overcook them in a way that makes them rubbery or dry.
To reheat in the microwave, start with 30 seconds to 1 minute, check on them, stir, and then add increments of 30 seconds at a time as needed. For the air fryer, preheat to 360F and start with 5 minutes. If they need more, add 1 minute at a time until they’re heated to your liking.
FAQ
You can use your favorite Traeger pellets for this recipe! I love the Kirkland (Costco) brand pellets and you can’t beat the price. The Traeger signature blend is also great. If you’d like a blend specific to pork, try the apple wood pellets.
This recipe uses skinless pork belly. Much of the time, you can buy it that way. If yours has skin on it, you can cut it off. Sometimes people make pork belly with the skin on, but the cooking method in this recipe isn’t suited for that.
Your burnt ends are probably hard because you cooked them too long. Keep an eye on the internal temperature and spritz them with the apple cider vinegar/water mixture to keep them moist as they smoke.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Please leave a comment and review! It means the world!
BBQ Orange Pork Belly Burnt Ends on the Traeger with Chinese 5 Spice
Ingredients
Pork Belly
- 2-3 lb pork belly
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice
- 1 navel orange for zest and juice
- 1-2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Turn on your Traeger grill (or other smoker) and preheat to 275F. Cut your pork belly into 1-in cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix together your seasonings–salt, pepper, Chinese 5 Spice, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. Whisk together and pour over the pork belly cubes. Use your hands to help mix and make sure each piece is evenly coated.
- Place the pork belly cubes evenly spaced apart on a wire rack, fat side down. Place the wire rack directly on the Traeger grates. Smoke for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depends how big you cut the cubes) or until the internal temperature reaches 190F-195F when a thermometer is inserted.
- Check on the pork belly every 30-45 minutes to ensure it's not drying out, and if needed, mix the 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water together in a spray bottle and spritz the pork belly to help it stay moist.
- As the pork is cooking, mix together your BBQ sauce. Add the 1 cup BBQ sauce to a medium mixing bowl. Zest the navel orange into the sauce, then quarter the orange and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add the Chinese 5 Spice powder. Whisk together and set aside until the pork is ready.
- When the pork belly reaches 190-195F internal temperature, remove the wire rack from the smoker. Use a set of tongs to pick each piece up and place in a 9×13 aluminum pan. Pour the BBQ sauce over the pork belly pieces and gently toss to coat.
- Place the uncovered pan back on the Traeger grates and cook for another hour or until the sauce has reduced and caramelized.
Video
Amazing flavor! Love the punch of orange and the Chinese 5 Spice. Love a twist on regular BBQ pork belly.