Don’t trim off burnt ends

[bbqLuv]

Don’t over trim your brisket.
Why trim off parts of a brisket that may “burn” or over cook? Are they not burnt ends?
Since brisket burnt ends are some of the best bites in BBQ, is not more better?
I hope I am not overthinking this after a few years into my beloved new hobby.

[mrteddyprincess]

My thoughts on this are that it is true, the non-contrived "burnt ends" are truly the burnt little tidbits at the edges, if those are all fat and no protein, it would just be partially rendered fat. There needs to be a balance between protein and fat for a good burnt end.

The reason the contrived KC "burnt ends" work so well is that it's usually point meat where there is that beautiful balance between protein and fat.

I also have taken BBQ class from really good cooks who claim they never trim anything off a brisket at all and they love their product.

So at the end of the day, I'm only telling you my thoughts and not asserting that my way superior or that I have a deep understanding of the issue. :-)

Brian

[bbqLuv]

Thank you for your reply. Are those BBQ Classes from good cooks also available on YouTube as videos and such?

[mrteddyprincess]

Several years ago, a guy named David Sommerville had a web site called brisketbootcamp.com . It had several articles and videos of all the ways to cook briskets, getting lots of opinions from well known brisket cooks. At the end of the course they were mentioning the cooks that didn't even bother to trim anything off the brisket before cooking. I'm at work right now, and that web site is getting filtered out because it doesn't have the proper security, but according to AI, the web site isn't up.

[mrteddyprincess]

I just checked on my phone, and the web site is up, but it says they are not taking further enrollments at this time. I'm remembering the details now. Every day for 30 days I got an article and links to BBQ videos sent to my email. I thought it was cool.

[TripleB]

You should get a ton of responses on this, especially from the Texas boys. But in my experience, the burnt ends comes from the Point (or Deckle). I have seen different ways in doing this. One way is that after the brisket is smoked, the Point is removed, cubed, sauced, put in a pan and then back in the smoker till done.

[HawkerXP]

I only trim off some of that hard fat and anything that looks a lil nasty.

[mrteddyprincess]

This is swapped directly from the Wikipedia page on "burnt ends." The KC burnt ends that are served now are mostly cubed point and look squarish. The concept of burnt ends came from this article which was really referring to what the author called "burnt edges."



This is my understanding and I welcome additions or corrections :-)

B

[Jerod Broussard]

Don’t tell me what to do with my brisket.

I don't trim them off either. But some can't help it have more "edge" than others.

No one ever said, "Edges, we don't need no stinkin' edges!"

[captainlee]

Like ribs, I don't trim off the last end bones. I leave them on and trim off after the cook.

[bbqLuv]

I think I will leave the end bones on a rack of ribs the next time.
Thanks

[RolfTaylor]

Like ribs, I don't trim off the last end bones. I leave them on and trim off after the cook.

Or *during the cook* if you get hungry LOL

[captainlee]

Yes or if there is a dog around that has been helping with the cook.

[Mosca]

I strongly prefer slices of point to contrived “burnt ends”, which I think are over seasoned.

[realdocBBQ]

One or two bites, that's all I can eat of that stuff. Same as like PBBE. People love 'em, though! But ain't nobody sitting down and eating a whole plate of that stuff.

[Mosca]

Yeah, PBBE are INCREDIBLE, but I max out at about a burger’s worth, maybe 3-4 1oz pieces.

[bbqLuv]

PBBE is a finger food/appetizer. They're not a main course.
Boy, they are good and tasty.