Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends

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There’s a reason why smoked brisket burnt ends are often referred to as “meat candy”… They’re deliciously sweet, bite-sized morsels of beef that will have you acting like a kid in a candy store! Learn how to make classic barbecue burnt ends from a smoked whole brisket in this step-by-step guide…

I know that I’ve said it before about smoked beef ribs and these pork belly burnt ends, but I’m officially declaring these smoked brisket burnt ends as “the best bite in barbecue”. The fatty nuggets of charred heaven are everything that I want in my barbecued meats – smoky flavor, perfectly charred exterior, tender fatty interior, and just enough grease to make you change into an old t-shirt before reaching for another one.

With the slightly crunchy and sticky sweet outside and juicy, tender inside, it’s easy to see why these meat morsels are praised in the barbecue world.

And once you master the technique, the possibilities are endless. You can try a sweet Asian-style glaze or experiment with Nashville Hot flavors. But here’s how to make the classic smoked barbecue burnt ends first…

What are Burnt Ends?

Burnt ends, sometimes referred to as “meat candy”, are small nuggets of smoked meats that are traditionally made from the point half of a smoked brisket.

Once the brisket point is smoked and rested, you cut it into cubes and add them to a pan with barbecue sauce, brown sugar, honey, and your choice of other ingredients. Then they get smoked on the grill a second time for the fat to continue to render and the exterior to get nicely charred, all while the sauce is tacking up and creating a beautiful glaze.

Although brisket is the most classic meat choice for burnt ends, you can also make the bites of smoky goodness from chuck roast (aka Poor Man’s burnt ends), pork belly, or even a chub of bologna.

But having tried all of the burnt ends varieties, I can tell you that none of them compare to the fatty, beefy bites that you get from the smoked brisket point!

Selecting the Best Beef Brisket for Burnt Ends

Your journey to the best burnt ends starts with selecting the perfect brisket.

I always recommend purchasing the best grade of meat that your budget will allow (within reason) – especially when it comes to brisket. We’ve been burned so many times in the past with choice grade beef briskets that turn out dry because of a lack of marbling. And the last thing that you want to do is to spend 16 hours smoking your meat, only to discover that the finished product is subpar through no fault of your own.

My wife and I are big fans of Costco’s prime briskets. The prime has that unparalleled marbling that makes it juicy and flavorful beyond belief. And we often find them on sale for about the same price as choice, so it’s a no-brainer for us.

That being said, if you don’t have access to affordable prime brisket, look for a choice cut that is a reddish-pink color (not too dark) with a nice white color on the fat layer. Here’s a great guide on choosing the best brisket.

Brisket Burnt Ends Video

Smoked Brisket Ingredients

The flavor profile for your smoked burnt ends is up to you, but since this was my first time making traditional burnt ends with brisket, I opted for a classic combination of barbecue sauce, honey, and brown sugar.

Here’s the full ingredient list, along with some notes and substitutions to make this recipe your own:

• brisket – For classic burnt ends, you’ll need a beef brisket. I smoked a whole brisket and then separated the point from the flat, but you can smoke the point by itself if you prefer.
• Worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard – I used this combination as a binder before seasoning my brisket – totally optional. I usually decide whether or not to use a binder based on how dry the outside of the meat is before adding my rub.
• brisket rub of your choice – I used a combination of my Texas rub recipe and ‘Que That Rub and Seasoning. Choose your favorite rub to season the brisket before smoking, though I would recommend something that’s a bit heavier on the black pepper to offset the sweetness of the honey and brown sugar that you’ll add later.

Ingredients for the Burnt Ends

Once the brisket is smoked, you’ll need these ingredients to make the point into tender, juicy burnt ends:

• barbecue sauce – I chose a sauce that was a bit more vinegary to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. The Stubb’s Original Barbecue Sauce that we used was perfect for this recipe.
• brown sugar
• honey – Or use hot honey like we did.
• butter – Placing some pads of butter on top of the brisket cubes adds a bit more fat and richness… exactly what you want for smoked burnt ends!

Supplies Needed for Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends

• smoker or charcoal grill – I used the Traeger Ironwood XL pellet grill for my burnt ends, but you can also set up your kettle-style charcoal grill like a smoker if you don’t have a pellet grill or stick burner.
• pellets, charcoal, or wood – Based on what grill you are using. Choose your favorite flavor for beef – I opted for a blend of Smokin’ Pecan pecan shell pellets and hickory wood pellets.
• meat thermometer – For long low and slow cooks like brisket or pork butt, I prefer a wireless meat thermometer so I can easily monitor the internal temperature. Many of the “smart” thermometers available today have their own apps that even allow you to set an alarm for the internal temperature that you want.
• disposable aluminum foil pan – I recommend a disposable foil pan for this recipe, because it will save you the hassle of scrubbing burnt-on sugars and sauce off of your baking dish.

Seasoning and Smoking the Brisket

Since our burnt ends recipe starts with a whole brisket, as most recipes do, the first step is to trim and season the brisket to prepare it for the smoker.

To start, trim the excess fat leaving about 1/4″ of the fat cap on the top to ensure that there’s enough fat to render and flavor the brisket.

Then add a binder, such as Worcestershire sauce and mustard, if needed to help the seasoning adhere to the meat.

Next, liberally apply a Texas-style all purpose seasoning, ensuring all sides are well-coated. Follow that up with a coat of your favorite barbecue seasoning if you wish.

I added a light layer of ‘Que That Barbecue Seasoning on top of the Texas Rub for a hint of sweetness, but you can just go with the all-purpose rub if you prefer. And then your brisket is ready for the smoker!

Of course, there are many different ways to smoke a brisket, but for these burnt ends we went with an overnight smoke at 225°F on the Traeger Ironwood XL.

The next morning, after about 8 hours and 45 minutes, the internal temperature had reached 180°F, and we wrapped the brisket in peach butcher paper – but not before pouring on some liquid gold beef tallow that we were smoking at the same time.

We bumped the pellet grill temperature up to 275°F, and cooked the wrapped brisket until it reached 203°F internal temperature, about another 1 1/2 hours for us – of course, the cooking times will vary based on the size of your brisket, the heating capabilities and insulation of your grill, etc.

Once the brisket reaches your target internal temperature, remove it from the grill and place it on a cooling rack, still wrapped, to rest and cool for 2-3 hours.

How to Make Brisket Burnt Ends on the Smoker

Once your smoked brisket is done, it’s time to make the burnt ends. Just follow these steps:

1. Allow the smoked brisket to rest on the counter a good while, until the internal temperature reaches about 145-150°F or so. You don’t want to cut it immediately after it comes off the smoker, because then you’ll lose those beautiful beefy juices. Then, unwrap the peach paper and pour any drippings into the pan that you will be using for the burnt ends.
2. Once the brisket has rested, separate the point from the flat, cutting down the large band of fat in the middle at an angle to divide the two parts. Then, cut the point into cubes that are roughly 1.5″ square. Do your best to cut them evenly so that the burnt ends cook at the same time.
3. Add the cubed brisket to a disposable foil pan. Drizzle on barbecue sauce and honey, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Add a few pads of butter to the top and sprinkle with a bit of barbecue seasoning.
4. Place the pan on the smoker, close the grill lid, and smoke at 300°F for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the burnt ends are caramelized and tender to the touch, and the sauce has tacked up.

Optional Barbecue Glaze

We tossed our finished burnt ends in a simple barbecue sauce glaze immediately after they came off the smoker, but this step is optional. Adding a final glaze gives your burnt ends a sticky sweet, saucy exterior.

When the burnt ends are almost done on the smoker, just add about ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, and about 3 tablespoons brown sugar to a small sauce pan. Heat until boiling, then allow to boil for about 30-60 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside to cool slightly.

Then, right before serving your burnt ends, toss them in a bowl with the mixture. The heat from the burnt ends will help to warm the sauce back up and create a nice glaze.

How long does it take to smoke burnt ends?

The entire process takes about 11-12 hours of smoking time if you’re starting with a whole packer brisket. Of course, if you separate the point from the flat before smoking, or if you decide to smoke your brisket at a higher temperature of about 250-275°F, then your smoke time will be less.

And remember, that doesn’t include a resting time of about 2-3 hours for the whole smoked brisket.

But most importantly, remember that smoking meats isn’t about cooking times, it’s about cooking your meats to the proper internal temperatures. For whole smoked brisket, my final target temperature is typically between 200-203°F (depending on how long I’m going to rest the meat).

Storage and Reheating

Properly stored in an airtight container, burnt ends should last in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, add the burnt ends to a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at a low temperature to avoid loss of moisture and texture.

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