Tips and Tricks for Burnt Ends?

[Frozen Smoke]

I'm not much help because I don't make burnt ends very often at all as I like brisket sliced, chopped or pulled as there is much more you can do with the leftovers. But I'm sure others will be chiming in soon.

[JGo37]

First of all your plan is flawless. Let's see if I have any comments on execution:

It isn't temp but tenderness that tells you when to pull the point to cube it - ~ 190F - 205F. I use a probe without a temperature gauge to remind me what I'm looking for, and when it slides in with little resistance, you're home. The point cooks faster than the flat, and may be tender at the lower end temps.

Coating the meat for the final cook is a personal thing that will get you lots of answers.

I'll give you the Missoura answer - CUZ THAT'S WHERE THIS ALL STARTED, RIGHT?

I put Maulls' Original BBQ Sauce on to simmer when I'm about to pull the point and cut it up. For me, I plop the point pieces straight into the simmering sauce, stir, remove and drain through a strainer preserving the sauce. I return the meat to smoke for about an hour in an uncovered pan, and pull when the sauce has reduced to a smokey glaze. I may move things around once, and let it stay another hour. That's it. I serve with the preserved sauce on the side.

I'm curious about this 'when are the burnt' ends done' question and what the PIT will say. I've never considered a point to need more than taken off, cut into bite sizes of your choice, dunked in simmering sauce, and served - because I like it sweet candy style. I do the second smoke for presentation and final flavor purposes if I'm not going to eat it all myself, and to give folks the choice to sauce it up or not. ;o)

[CowboyScott]

I bought a full prime packer from Costco and plan to make pastrami out of the flat and burnt ends out of point.



I have made burnt ends once and wasn't satisfied with the seasoning flavor and I had also dried out the cubes a bit too much.

I'm looking to improve this time and wanted some feedback from The Pit. I'll be smoking the point on my Rec Tec, but am curious on...

- What meat temp do you pull the point off to cube?
- What do you coat the meat with?

- I have read a lot of different thoughts on this- from straight BBQ sauce; a concoction of cola, soy, seasoning...; butter, brown sugar...; etc.

- Do you cover or not cover the aluminum pan the cubes are in- little of both?
- When do you know they're done?
- Do you finish them off after the grill in a skillet or something else?

Looking forward to your feedback.