"Burnt ends" - need some help

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stickyfingers

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
May 23, 2009
537
52
Upstate, SC
I need some help with this one.My brother-in-law froward a video of a food show looking for the best BBQ. The hostess was in St. Louis asking the public about the BBQ they all mentioned "burnt ends". They went to restaurant famous for burnt ends and they showed how they did them.

Apparently, using a smoked point end of a brisket that they have cut off, they grill it until the crust it very burnt. Then slice it into cubes with some sauce. It was full of juicy goodness.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this?
 
Search burnt ends and you will get a lot of threads about it.

Most just smoke a whole packer brisket and when it is done separate the point from the flat, wrap the flat in foil and hold it in a cooler. Meanwhile cube the point up in 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes, toss them in your favorite BBQ sauce with some of your favorite rub and put back on the smoker for another hour or two until the sauce has a good chance to caramelize and the BE's get more tender. These will be some of the most tender and tasty little morsels you will ever have. 

I like to use a Chipotle BBQ sauce which has some heat mixed with some brown sugar, the heat and sweet flavor is Awesome!
 
I have yet to make good burnt ends, I'm basically ready to give up on it, I don't like the point for nothin! My friends and coworkers that have tried it unknowingly prefer the flat as well.
 
I have yet to make good burnt ends, I'm basically ready to give up on it, I don't like the point for nothin! My friends and coworkers that have tried it unknowingly prefer the flat as well.
How have you tried making them?
 
I've only made burnt ends 3 or 4 times....they were awesome every time. I can't imagine how you can mess them up unless you actually burn them.....
 
How have you tried making them?
I've cubed them up, threw some sauce and rub on them and threw em back in. Or just Rub and threw them back in, but all I taste is that darn fat and it drives me nuts. I've only left them in for another hour, possibly way too short?
 
I usually throw mine in the oven for 2 hours at 350 or so, first hour covered, then uncover for the second hour.  My wife eats the burnt ends long before she eats the flat.   
 
I've cubed them up, threw some sauce and rub on them and threw em back in. Or just Rub and threw them back in, but all I taste is that darn fat and it drives me nuts. I've only left them in for another hour, possibly way too short?
How much fat cap do you leave on the brisket before you smoke it? If a lot you could trim all the fat off the point after smoking before cubing. I know what you mean, I hate fat too! I trim almost all the fat off before smoking, I know a lot of people think the fat makes it juicier but I just don't believe the fat cap penetrates into the meat while smoking. I have done several lean trimmed pork butts and a brisket using the dry chamber method and they were juicier than when I left the fat on. Here is some BE's I did from a lean trimmed brisket:

 
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Thanks, I'll give that a whirl! How long do you leave em in after cubing? You have it on racks, instead of foil, I'll have to try that as well. No sauce either? Heck what if I just cube up the point to begin with and cook the flat separate, any luck with that?
 
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Go to Wally World and P/U some of these:


Chop your Point (the fatty part) , cut it up as small as you want., add some rub , sauce and return to the smoker until you can't stand it any more and enjoy.

The original Burnt Ends were the trimmings left from slicing the meat (crumbs) at the BBQ joints an Texas. A way of not wasting good stuff and they would put it on Bread and a bit of sauce and Onion/Pickle(dill). Serve with a side of Pinto Beans and some Potato Salad and you're in Heaven.
 
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