Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Char Bar - Westport›Charred Bits & Grits Recipe

Charred Bits & Grits Recipe

Inspired by Char Bar - Westport
Time4h
Serves6

smoked burnt ends, hand-cranked sausage, pickled jalapeños, bourbon-candied bacon, cheddar cheese grits, bbq butter

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Ingredients

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Smoked Burnt Ends

Hand-Cranked Sausage

Pickled Jalapeños

Bourbon-Candied Bacon

Cheddar Cheese Grits

BBQ Butter

Method

Smoked Burnt Ends

  1. 1

    Prepare the Brisket

    Trim excess fat from the brisket and rub all sides with a mixture of brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

  2. 2

    Smoke the Brisket

    Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Place the brisket in the smoker and cook for 6-8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F (90°C).

  3. 3

    Cube and Sauce

    Remove the brisket from the smoker, let it rest for 30 minutes, then cube it into 1-inch pieces. Toss the cubes in BBQ sauce.

  4. 4

    Char the Burnt Ends

    Return the cubed brisket to the smoker for an additional 1-2 hours to caramelize the sauce and create a charred exterior.

Hand-Cranked Sausage

  1. 5

    Prepare the Sausage Mixture

    Cut the pork shoulder into small pieces and mix with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, sage, and red pepper flakes.

  2. 6

    Stuff the Sausage

    Using a sausage stuffer, fill the hog casings with the sausage mixture and twist into links.

  3. 7

    Cook the Sausage

    Grill or pan-fry the sausages over medium heat until fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

Pickled Jalapeños

  1. 8

    Prepare the Pickling Liquid

    In a saucepan, combine white vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil until sugar and salt dissolve.

  2. 9

    Pickle the Jalapeños

    Slice the jalapeños into rings and pack them into a jar. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the jalapeños, ensuring they are fully submerged. Let them cool and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Bourbon-Candied Bacon

  1. 10

    Prepare the Bacon

    Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. 11

    Candy the Bacon

    Lay out the bacon strips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over each strip and drizzle with bourbon. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crispy and caramelized.

Cheddar Cheese Grits

  1. 12

    Cook the Grits

    In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in the grits. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes until thickened.

  2. 13

    Add Cheese and Butter

    Stir in the cheddar cheese and butter until melted and creamy.

BBQ Butter

  1. 14

    Prepare the BBQ Butter

    In a small bowl, mix together softened unsalted butter and BBQ sauce until well combined.

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