In this article, we’re focusing on smoky, sticky, sweet burnt ends. Cubes of brisket point are placed in a sauce bath and returned to the WSM where they continue to soften, the sauce reduces, and you end up with perfect tender bites of burnt ends.
If you are reading this article hoping for a discussion of the origins of burnt ends, you will find that in the Brisket Burnt Ends – Kansas City Style article.
Here’s a description and photos of how I made these burnt ends on the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker on May 23, 2020 for WSM Smoke Day 16.
Cube The Brisket Point
To make burnt ends, start with a whole smoked brisket that you’ve rested in an empty cooler for several hours. If you wrapped the brisket in foil or butcher paper, reserve the brisket drippings. Separate the point from the flat along the natural fat seam, rewrap the flat, and return it to the cooler.
Place the brisket drippings into a fat separator and allow 5 minutes for the beef fat to separate from the jus.
Remove excess fat and any unsavory bits from the side of the point that was attached to the flat. Now with the crusty bark side facing up, use a very sharp slicing knife to cut the point into 1″ wide strips, then across into 1″ cubes.
Place the cubes into a half size steam table foil pan; just drop them in and spread them out into a single layer, if possible. I like using a slightly larger pan like this one so I have room to spread out the cubes and stir them during smoking.
Sauce The Cubes
Combine 1/4 cup of defatted brisket drippings (top photo) with 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce and heat gently on the stovetop, stirring to combine (bottom photo). If you’re short on drippings or don’t have any, substitute another 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce.
Pour the sauce/drippings mixture over the cubes and give them a gentle stir to coat. The cubes will be wet, but not submerged in sauce.
Place Sauced Brisket Cubes In Smoker
Place the uncovered pan on the top grate in the WSM. Cook at 250-275°F for about 2 hours, stirring gently every 30 minutes to keep the cubes coated in sauce.
The burnt ends are done when the sauce has mostly reduced down and created a sticky coating on the cubes, with very little residual sauce left in the bottom of the pan.
Serve & Enjoy
Transfer burnt ends to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy on a plate with classic barbecue sides or as a sandwich or slider.
Who am I kidding…you’re going to eat them straight out of the foil pan like I did!
Make Burnt Ends Another Day
If you don’t have the time to make burnt ends right away, simply refrigerate or freeze the brisket point and make them another day.
More Brisket Links On TVWB
- Brisket – High Heat
- Brisket – Smoked & Oven Finished
- Brisket – Midnight Cook
- Brisket – Wet Rub
- Whole Brisket – Central Texas Style Butcher Paper
- Whole Brisket – Competition Trim
- Brisket Flat – Central Texas Style Butcher Paper
- Burnt Ends – Kansas City Style
- Pastrami – Dry Cured
- Quick Pastrami – Smoked Corned Beef Brisket
- Brisket Servings Calculator
- Brisket Selection & Preparation
- Separating Brisket Flat & Point
- Using An Electric Oven To Hold Brisket At Temperature
- Camp Brisket 2020 Trip Report
