Tips and Tricks for Burnt Ends?

[jerrybell]

I've always cooked the whole packer. I much prefer the flat for slices. While the taste of the point seems fine, the texture is off-putting. That has been making me want to try burnt ends. I've bookmarked the Hey-Grill-Hey video and I really enjoy just about any Malcom Reed video. I have tried and enjoyed several of his recipes. Check out his burnt ends recipe here.

[xaugievike]

I dont see any real bad advice here. I usually yank mine between 180 and 190 so it slices easily and doesnt crumble. into a foil pan with a little butter and some bbq sauce plus a little more rub. I do not cover the pan. usually after another hour or two I decide if they're done based on um....um.....eating one. or 6.






or 10

[Andjer33]

I cook the whole packer together. However, I think it will work the same for just the point. After it hits the stall, at around 150, I wrap it in foil (the crutch) and take it up to 203 degrees. I don't wrap it immediately after it hits 150, though. I just let it sit in the smoker for an hour or so, during the stall, to help develop bark and then wrap it to get it through the stall. Anyway, after it hits 203, I take it out of the foil and put it back on the smoker (or even in the oven) for an hour. If I was doing a whole packer, at this point, I would rewrap the flat and let it rest while I did the burnt ends. I want the smoker up to 300 if I use the smoker. Then I pull it off, cut it into cubes and finish it with bbq sauce in a foil pan. The extra time on the smoker at a higher temp ensures the crispy outside that you are looking for in burnt ends. And the point is so fatty that I've never had the inside dry out even with the extra time cooking. A guy who owns a local bbq store and wins competitions consistently taught me that method. Of course, he doesn't use the oven for competitions but he said at home, either works fine. I was skeptical at first but it improved my burnt ends dramatically. I could never get it crispy enough when I cubed it right out of the foil and put it right in bbq sauce.

[CowboyScott]

Thanks again for all the tips. Here what I did and how it turned out...

- I smoked the point until ~190° (a little longer than I was planning, but my lunch meeting went ~1 hour longer than I thought). Point was only ~3 lbs after trimming so it cooked quickly. Here it is right before cubing...



- Cubed it into ~1" into disposable aluminum pan; sprinkled with more Simply Marvelous Peppered Cow rub (which is what I used as the rub to begin with). As the description says, it "is strong in flavor, we recommend it be used sparingly"; added in ~1 stick of cut up butter and sprinkled ~1.5 tablespoons of dark brown sugar on top. Covered with aluminum foil and put back on smoker at ~225°...

- I wanted more savory and juicy than sweet and sticky so I went light on the sugars and sauces.

Here it is shortly after I put back on grill (peaking a bit under the cover)...



- Pulled off after ~1 hour and held in my electric smoker at ~160° until serving, which was ~2 hours later.

They were a huge hit with friends and family; very flavorful and juicy with just the right amount of sweet vs savory. I also did pulled pork and pastrami at the same time for our Christmas social last night and the burnt ends were the biggest hit of the 3, even though I thought my pulled pork was the best I had ever done.

Only change I would make next time is... make more.

[FishTalesNC]

Yeah JGo37 I was wondering about the extra brown sugar she uses. My kiddo will like it better, wife may not tho. Might have to sneak in a little heat in the rub to help offset some of the sweetness.

[Dr ROK]

This talks about doing a full packer, but also overs burnt ends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8yf...em-uploademail

I like to bring 1/2 cup spicy bbq sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 TBS MHMD to a boil and pour over meat in pan. Put back in smoker and cook additional hour or two.

[CowboyScott]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Very helpful.

I read the Hey Grill recipe and think it may be too sweet for my liking so will probably wing it a bit with my rub (Peppered Cow), some butter, and whatever else sounds good at that moment.

Will post back how it goes.

[ddmcwhirter]

You can make burnt ends off your flat...I make a heavy sugar sauce, with seasonings, then larger than bite size cuts, let em languish in a heavy syrup. Finish in the oven...about 200...they'll turn black.

[Paladin1954]

I second Hey Grill Hey! Made the KC Sweet sauce (recipe here, somewhere) and followed her directions. Heavenly. Could not have been improved. A+ -- https://heygrillhey.com/bbq-brisket-burnt-ends/

[texastweeter]

I pull it a little early, while it is still a bit tight. Cube it, add a touch of brown sugar, a lille more rub,and a bit of butter. Return to smoker covered for about an hour. Then remove the foil until the drippings have thickened into a sauce. Roll around in the sauce the the cubes are covered and put right on the grate. Smoke at a higher temp until glazed and sauce is tackey.

[JGo37]

I watched it. Nope - no changes. That's it. That may be a bit sweeter than using a counter sauce = depends on your sweet tooth. I like 'meat candy', but do want that beef taste to still be in there.

[jfmorris]

Oh yeah JGo37 I will definitely be trying it. Been a few months since I've picked up a brisket. Need to head back to Costco at some point.

[FishTalesNC]

I'm also interested in this, as I am planning to do the same thing around New Year's. I found this video a little while back and was basically going to follow it, but am curious if AR-folk would make improvements:

https://heygrillhey.com/bbq-brisket-burnt-ends/

[JGo37]

You gotta try it once = MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!

[jfmorris]

The point is my favorite part of the full packer, and I slice the entire brisket. Not sure I would want to give that up to do some little cubes, haha. I am sure I would like burnt ends, but I like my point sliced up and on my plate.