Smoked brisket burnt ends are the ultimate BBQ treat. Smoky and sweet, these tender caramelized bites of smoked brisket are beautifully crispy on the outside and bursting with flavor on the inside.
Originating from Kansas City, Missouri, burnt ends are succulent barbecue bites taken from the point end of smoked beef brisket. They’re known for their crispy, caramelized exterior which gives them their signature ‘burnt’ appearance and intense flavor.
These nuggets of meat are created when cubed brisket is heavily seasoned and then given a long and slow smoke. What sets Kansas City’s burnt ends apart from others is the finishing glaze of sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, which offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Brisket Burnt Ends Explained
Traditionally, burnt ends are made from the point end of a beef brisket. Because it’s fattier and thinner, it lends itself to deep caramelization as it cooks.
During smoking, it becomes tender and develops a rich, smoky flavor. The edges of the meat darken and become crispy, creating a contrast in texture with the tender interior. Kansas City-style burnt ends are typically coated in barbecue sauce (a traditional Kansas City sauce has a more pronounced tomato base), adding another layer of flavor to the dish.
History of Burnt Ends
Kansas City has a long and rich history of smoking meats. BBQ joints would often smoke slabs of brisket but discard the point ends as nothing more than a little snack, handed out to waiting customers as they queued.
Smoked meat proprietors soon learned that the brisket’s previously neglected point ends were a powerhouse of flavor and texture—especially when coated in a moreish BBQ sauce. People soon began to seek out these sticky and sweet offcuts, and so a legend was born.
How to Make Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends
These Kansas City burnt ends are smoked in a four-step process. Each of these steps serves a purpose in rendering down fatty meat and imbuing the brisket with a delicious smoked flavor. Here’s how to make them:
- Trim the brisket of excess fat before coating with BBQ beef rub
- Smoke the brisket at 250°F (120°C), spritzing with beef stock intermittently, for 4-5 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 165°F (74°C)
- Wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper and place back in the smoker to cook for a further 1 ½ to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 190-200°F (88-93°C)
- Finally, chop the meat into 1-inch cubes, add to an aluminum tray, toss with BBQ sauce and brown sugar, and then cook for a final 1-2 hours until caramelized
Quick Tips
- Like many smoked meats, this is best based on temperature and feel. Use the timings laid out in the recipe as a guideline but use an internal meat thermometer to gauge the brisket’s progress
- Spritzing the brisket with beef stock helps prevent the meat from drying out. You could also use a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water
- If the burnt ends seem dry after the butcher paper stage, wrap them in foil, add a little beef broth, and cook for a further 40 minutes to an hour until softened
Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 6 lbs brisket point
- 1 cup beef stock in a spray bottle
Rub
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
Sauce
- 1 cup Kansas-style BBQ sauce
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Fire up your smoker to 250°F (120°C)
- Trim any excess hard fat from the brisket point and cut the fat cap down to ¼ inch thick
- Combine salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder and massage the brisket point with the spices until thoroughly coated
- Place the brisket into the smoker and cook for 4-5 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 165°F (74°C). Spritz the brisket every 40 minutes to an hour with beef stock
- Once the brisket has reached temperature, wrap it tightly in butcher paper and return to the smoker for a further 1 ½ to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 190-200°F (88-93°C)
- Remove the brisket from the smoker, unwrap it, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add the cubes to an aluminum tray and toss in the BBQ sauce and brown sugar until fully coated.
- Place the tray into the smoker and cook for a further 1-2 hours until the burnt ends are perfectly caramelized and sticky
