Crispy Brisket Burnt Ends
Burnt Ends Brisket Recipe – These are the crown jewels of barbecue, a delectable treat born from the magic of slow-smoked beef. These bite-sized, melt-in-your-mouth morsels boast an irresistible combination of smoky, savory, and sweet flavors encased in a caramelized bark that’s nothing short of perfection. ✨
This recipe is ideal anytime you are feeding a crowd. I love serving up burnt ends “meat candy” as an appetizer and then following it up with the brisket flat as part of the main course. It’s a beautifully efficient and tasty way to get the most out of a large cut of meat. Plus, people love it.
To be honest, this recipe takes a little time to come together, but trust me when I say it’s worth the effort. You only need a few pantry staples besides the meat; the result is magical every time.
What Cut of Brisket Makes Burnt Ends?
In this brisket recipe, we’re cooking up a whole-packer brisket but only using the point, which is loaded with flavorful fat. Most people use the point for this endeavor, but there are other options. Some people make “poor man’s burnt ends” using chuck roast, and I love me some juicy pork belly burnt ends, too, but I digress. For the creme de la creme of burnt ends, go with brisket point.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole Packer Brisket – Get a big old whole packer for this recipe. We’ll separate the point for the burnt ends, but you’ll get a scrumptious brisket flat out of the deal, too.
- Homemade Brisket Rub – My homemade rub includes salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, mustard powder, oregano, brown sugar, cayenne, and cumin. It’s delish! 😋
- Burnt End Sauce – Grab your favorite BBQ sauce. Then add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, honey, hot sauce, and a tablespoon or two of brisket rub for an out-of-this-world sauce.
How to Make Brisket Burnt Ends
Prepare the Brisket
- Trim – Place your brisket on a large cutting board, fat cap side up. Brisket has a fat layer covering the meaty part that can vary in thickness. Trim off the fat cap, leaving a narrow layer of fat ( about ¼ inch thick) on the outside of the brisket to help protect the beef from drying out as it cooks.
- Make Dry Rub – Stir the brown sugar, salt, paprika, ground pepper, mustard, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
- Make Wet Rub – Rub the brisket with yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce or water. This acts as a binder for the spices to adhere to the brisket. (Don’t worry too much about flavor here; the taste won’t be at all perceptible.)
- Season the brisket with spice mix, coating it evenly over all sides. Reserve some spice mix for the burnt ends. (Photo 1)
Smoke the Brisket
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225-250°F, following the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific grill. Use the wood pellets of your choice. (I used a competition blend for this recipe.)
- Smoke – Place the brisket in the pellet grill, fat-side up, and smoke for approximately 6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the brisket is between 165-170℉ (74-77℃) and your brisket has developed a good bark (that flavorful crust that forms on the surface of the brisket). (Photo 2)
- Wrap – Remove the brisket from the smoker and tightly wrap it with butcher or foil paper. Place the wrapped brisket back in the pellet grill and continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches between 203-205°F (95℃). (Photo 3)
- Rest – Place the wrapped brisket in a cooler or a warm, dry place and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Burnt Ends
- Slice – Remove the point from the flat with a sharp knife. Next, slice the point into 1 to 1½ inch cubes. Place the cubes in an aluminum foil pan or a heat-resistant container. (Photo 4)
- Season – Add 1-2 tablespoons of brisket dry rub, followed by BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and hot sauce to taste. (I usually add some liquid or juice from the brisket for additional moisture and to balance out the flavors.) (Photo 5)
- Burn – Toss to thoroughly combine and adjust the amount of liquid to fit your preference. Place the foil pan back in the smoker for an additional 1-2 hours or until desired texture and caramelization have been achieved. (Photo 6)
- Serve – Remove and let the burnt ends cool slightly before serving with selected sides and accompaniments.
Recipe Variations
- You can experiment with different barbecue sauce flavors to find the one that works well with the smoky flavor of the brisket.
- Go all out with maple bourbon burnt ends. Incorporate maple syrup and bourbon into the rub for a sweet and smoky flavor. Glaze the burnt ends with maple syrup and bourbon mixture during the final caramelization phase.
- Get tropical with mango habanero burnt ends. Make a glaze using fresh mango, habanero peppers, lime juice, and honey. Brush the burnt ends with this spicy-sweet glaze for a bold and fruity kick. 🥭
Tips and Tricks
- Trim the fat cap on the brisket. Most of it is a hard fat that doesn’t render. Also, the fat prevents the meat from absorbing more smoke – hence, it has less smokey flavor. Leaving a thin layer about a quarter of an inch thick on top will give the meat more than enough flavor.
- A fairly thick fat vein is sandwiched between the point and flat. Don’t try to trim this part when preparing the meat because it keeps the brisket moist. You can remove this part when you slice the cooked brisket instead.
- When you reach the second phase, keep in mind that foil cooks the meat faster, but it might ruin the bark. While butcher paper preserves the texture of the bark but might take the meat longer to cook.
- While the burnt ends caramelize in the pan, consider basting them occasionally with the sauce or glaze. This adds extra layers of flavor and helps to keep the cubes moist. 💦
Make-Ahead Instructions
Brisket burnt ends reheat well, so feel free to make them a day or two in advance. Store cooled burnt ends in the fridge in an airtight container.
When ready to reheat, transfer the refrigerated burnt ends to an oven-safe dish and cover them with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Place it in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20-30 minutes (an internal temperature of 160-165°F/71-74°C). Remove from the oven, uncover, and serve immediately.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve beef brisket burnt ends just after they’ve cooled with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.
Store leftover brisket burnt ends in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, pop them in the microwave or follow the oven reheating instructions above. And, yes, you can freeze them for 2-3 months.
FAQs
While burnt ends are traditionally made from the point cut due to its higher fat content, you can use the flat cut to make leaner burnt ends. However, they may not be as rich and succulent as those made from the point.
Yes, if you have leftover smoked brisket, you can use it to make burnt ends. Simply cube the leftover brisket, toss it in barbecue sauce or a glaze, and follow the cooking process for burnt ends.
Burnt ends are done when they are tender and have reached your desired level of caramelization on the outside. The internal temperature should be around 195-203°F (90-95°C), but tenderness is a better indicator than temperature alone. You should be able to probe it easily with a fork or meat thermometer.
What Goes With Brisket Burnt Ends
Make it a classic BBQ cookout by taking advantage of the space in your smoker by smoking corn on the cob and baked potatoes. Put easy coleslaw on the table with a few homemade BBQ sauces for dipping and drizzling for pure delish. Carolina gold BBQ sauce or honey BBQ sauce are two excellent options. 👌
More Pitmaster Favorites to Try
- Smoked Brisket Tacos
- Smoky Beef Tenderloin
- Pellet Grilled Sirloin Tip Roast
- Tender Pellet Grilled Pork Loin
- Sensational Smoked Turkey Wings
Conclusion
I know you’ll love this brisket burnt ends recipe as much as I do. Hey, they call it “meat candy” for a reason. 😜 Tried a batch lately? Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Brisket Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1½ tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground
- 1½ tablespoons garlic powder
- 1½ tablespoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
- 1 12-14-pound brisket
Burnt End Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons brisket rub
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce, (to taste)
Instructions
The Brisket
- Place your brisket, fat-cap side up, on a large cutting board. Brisket has a fat layer covering the meaty part, and the fat layer can vary in thickness. If trimming the brisket, make sure to leave a narrow layer of fat (about ¼-inch thick) on the outside of the brisket to protect the beef from drying out.
- Most of it is a hard fat that doesn't render, preventing the meat from absorbing the smoke flavor. There's a fairly thick vein of fat between the point and flat. Don't trim this part, as it keeps the brisket moist. You can remove this part as you slice the brisket.
- In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, salt, paprika, ground pepper, mustard, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Rub the brisket with yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce or water. This makes the spices stick to the brisket, but don't worry because you won't taste the mustard.
- Season the brisket with dry spice mix evenly over all sides of the brisket. Reserve the rest for the burnt ends.
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225-250°F (107-121℃). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific grill, and use your choice of wood pellets (I used a blend for this recipe).
- Place the brisket in the pellet grill, fat-side up, and smoke for approximately 6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the brisket is between 165-170℉ (74-77℃) and your brisket has developed a good bark (flavorful crust that forms on the brisket's surface).
- Take the brisket from the smoker and tightly wrap it with butcher paper or foil. (Foil cooks it faster and tenderer but may ruin the bark, while butcher paper can preserve its texture but may take longer to cook.)
- Place the wrapped brisket back in the pellet grill and continue smoking until the internal temperature is between 203-205°F (95℃).
- Place the wrapped brisket in a cooler or a warm, dry place and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Brisket Burnt Ends
- Separate the point and flat when done, and slice the point into 1-1½ inch cubes. Place the cubes in an aluminum foil pan or a heat-resistant container.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of the brisket dry rub, followed by BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and hot sauce to taste. (I usually add some liquid or juice from the brisket for additional moisture and to balance the flavors.) Toss to thoroughly combine, and adjust liquid to preference.
- Place the aluminum foil pan back in the smoker for an additional 1-2 hours or until desired texture and caramelization have been achieved.
- Remove and let it cool slightly. Serve with desired sides and accompaniments.
Notes
- Have fun experimenting with different barbecue flavors to find the one that works well with the smoky brisket.
- Trim the fat cap on the brisket. Most of it is a hard fat that doesn’t render. Also, the fat prevents the meat from absorbing more smoke – hence, it has less smokey flavor. Leaving a thin layer about a quarter of an inch thick on top will give the meat more than enough flavor.
- A fairly thick fat vein is sandwiched between the point and flat. Don’t try to trim this part when preparing the meat because it keeps the brisket moist. You can remove this part when you slice the cooked brisket instead.
- When you reach the second phase, keep in mind that foil cooks the meat faster, but it might ruin the bark. While butcher paper preserves the texture of the bark but might take the meat longer to cook.
- While the burnt ends caramelize in the pan, consider basting them occasionally with the sauce or glaze. This adds extra layers of flavor and helps to keep the cubes moist.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
