A recipe for your sweet heart! Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, and I always hear people say: “the best gifts, are the ones you make, with love!”
Now, I’m not about to start needle pointing a heart onto a pillow, crocheting a cell phone cozy, penning a touching sonnet or crafting a felt ball necklace… but I do have a personalized gift idea that I believe is perfect to give, or receive this Valentine’s Day!
Sweet heat pork candy or otherwise known as pork belly burnt ends!
It’s the gift that not only tastes incredible but in its depth of flavor perfectly summarizes all the reasons you love your Valentine.
Deep, tender and sweet, with just enough spice to keep things interesting! 😉 (You can use that in your Valentine’s card – no charge!!!)
So, grab a pork belly, fire up the smoker, pellet smoker or grill and get to work on crafting the sweetest gift that your special someone has ever received.
You’ll also need a heart-shaped box, some ribbon and 1-inch foil candy cups.
However, if your Valentine understands and appreciates quality BBQ, then go the extra step and create the Ultimate Blind Box/Presentation Box by lining your heart shaped box with curly parsley and then artfully arranging the pork candy on top.
Trust me, you will be judged to be the Grand Champion of personal Valentine’s Day gifting!
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8-10 lb. Ontario pork belly
- 3 tbsp(45 ml) olive oil
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) pork rub (use your favourite)
- 1 cup (250 ml) sweet heat BBQ sauce (use your favourite)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter (no salt added)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30 ml) Sambal Oelek (Indonesian chili sauce or paste)
Cooking Instructions:
- Remove the layer of skin from the pork belly (or ask your butcher to).
- Preheat your smoker, pellet grill or gas grill with smoker box, to 275°F.
- Slice the pork belly into 3/4 inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, combine the cubes with the olive oil and pork rub. Toss well to coat evenly.
- Add the seasoned pork belly cubes in a single layer to a mesh rack. Place rack directly on grill grates (using a mesh rack will ensure you don’t lose any tasty pork candy, through the grates, as it shrinks).
- Smoke for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The meat will have shrunk and started to crisp on the edges.
- Lower smoker/grill temperature to 250°F.
- Place pork cubes into a large aluminum pan. Combine BBQ sauce, butter, honey & Sambal Oelek, then add to pan and toss well to coat.
- Cover with foil and return to the smoker/grill for 1 hour.
- Remove the foil and continue to smoke for 30 minutes until sauce is set.