Real deal burn ends (how?)

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Ringer

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Sep 10, 2019
740
693
Chickamauga, GA
I have a rather large brisket cook coming up and I thought I might try some burnt ends. I've done chuck burnt ends before but never with the brisket point.

The point is usually too mushy by the time the flat is done on all of my briskets.

So how do you do it? Separate the point early? Separate them in the raw state? What's the best method?
 
I have not done it myself but have read many people separate them before cooking. Also adds another surface to add some rub to.
 
Real deal burnt ends are way different than the perfect little cubes you might see in a chain restaurant or at a BBQ competition.

In the old days, BBQ joints saved cutting board scraps and once or twice a week they were sold as a plate lunch special or on a sandwich. Later, BBQ joints realized they were a seller and started using brisket points. The way I was taught to make BE's was to wait for the flat to tender-up, then take the back of a knife (the spine) and work it between the muscles. Wrap the flat for the hot box and re-season and return the point to the smoker for a coupe of hours.
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Then cut it up. Perfect cubes look pretty, but are not required. I do like to show off the grain of the meat on my BE's.
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Anyways, now your choice is to serve them with some juice only (to be sauced later), or add sauce and BE's to pan and go back on the smoker to reduce.

Here are some points I saved up and cooked in one batch.
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Nowadays if I save points, I sort of butterfly the knobby end so they cook more even. I slice the long way first, then come back and make cubes.
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Here is a very traditional preparation method for burnt ends.
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I prefer them dry, and sauced at the table, but the cooked down style are probably more popular.

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