Brisket Burnt Ends Recipe

5 from 4 votes

These brisket burnt ends are made from the point of a whole smoked brisket, then cut into cubes, coated with barbecue sauce and returned to the smoker until tender, sticky and caramelized.

Course Main Course

Cuisine BBQ

Keyword BBQ burnt ends, brisket burnt ends, brisket point, smoked brisket burnt ends

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Resting Time 2

Total Time 12 30

Servings servings

Calories 753kcal

Cost $40

Equipment

1 Smoker

Ingredients

12 pound whole packer brisket about 12 pounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper freshly ground
12 ounce barbecue sauce
2 ounce beef tallow as needed

Instructions

Preheat the smoker to 250°F. Trim the whole packer brisket as needed, then season it evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the brisket in the smoker and cook at 250°F. Once the bark is set, spritz the brisket as needed and continue smoking until it is ready to wrap.
Wrap the brisket in pink butcher paper coated with beef tallow and return it to the smoker. Continue cooking until the brisket is probe tender. Use internal temperature as a guide, but tenderness should determine when the brisket is done.
Remove the brisket from the smoker. Follow the fat seam between the two muscles to separate the point from the flat. Rewrap the flat and set it aside to rest while you make the burnt ends.
Cut the brisket point into pieces about 1½ to 2 inches square and place them in an aluminum pan.
Add enough barbecue sauce to coat the brisket pieces without drenching them. Toss until coated on all sides, then spread the pieces into a fairly even layer.
Return the pan to the smoker uncovered. Continue cooking until the sauce has thickened, the edges are dark and caramelized, and the burnt ends are very tender when pierced.
Rest the wrapped brisket flat for about two hours. Slice the flat across the grain and serve it with the burnt ends.

Video

Notes

Burnt ends are made from the brisket point, which contains more fat and marbling than the flat. Don't cut the pieces too small. I prefer pieces about 1½ to 2 inches square so they can develop a caramelized exterior without drying out during the second cook.

Nutrition