Burnt Ends Recipe

Trim and cube

Preheat smoker or grill for indirect cooking at 225°F (107°C). Trim the brisket point of excess hard fat, leaving about 1/8" fat cap for flavor. Cut the brisket point into roughly 1"–1.5" cubes. Aim for even pieces so they cook uniformly.

Mix rub

In a bowl combine kosher salt, coarse black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder and optional cayenne. Stir until evenly mixed.

Apply binder and rub

Lightly coat the cubed brisket pieces with the yellow mustard so the dry rub adheres. Sprinkle and massage the rub evenly over all pieces so each cube is well coated.

Arrange the rubbed cubes on the smoker rack in a single layer with a little space between pieces for even smoke circulation. Insert a probe thermometer into a representative piece (or use ambient probe). Smoke at 225°F (107°C) until the internal temperature of the cubes reaches about 190–195°F (88–91°C) and a good bark has formed. This typically takes 2.5–3.5 hours depending on size and smoker consistency.

Remove the cubes from the smoker and transfer to an aluminum pan or disposable foil tray. Reserve any drippings. If some pieces are much larger, cut them down to uniform size now.

Pour the beef broth (or reserved brisket juices) over the cubes to keep them moist. Add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and butter to the pan and stir gently to coat the pieces. If you like extra tang/sweetness, add apple cider vinegar and honey or molasses now (optional).

Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker set to 250°F (121°C). Cook for another 60–90 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cubes are tender and beginning to caramelize on the edges. Check at 45 minutes and stir gently to recoat pieces so they caramelize evenly.

For classic sticky, caramelized 'burnt ends', remove the foil for the last 15–30 minutes and place the pan back in the smoker (or move pieces directly to the grill rack). Raise the temperature to 300–325°F (149–163°C) or use higher direct heat for a brief period to deepen caramelization and bark. Watch carefully to avoid burning—you're aiming for deep mahogany, sticky edges.

When the cubes are sticky and caramelized and internal pieces are fork-tender, remove from heat. Let rest 5–10 minutes in the pan to allow juices to redistribute. Taste and adjust seasoning—if desired, toss with a little extra warm barbecue sauce before serving.

Serve hot as an appetizer or plate as a main with pickles, white bread, and extra barbecue sauce. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated in a sealed container; reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of beef broth or in a low oven (300°F/149°C) until warmed through.