Burnt ends are cubes of fatty, well-rendered meat that get sauced and put back in the smoker until the glaze caramelises. The original comes from the point end of a brisket, but the technique works on anything with enough fat to survive a second cook. They are the closest thing barbecue has to candy.

The method, once

Every version follows the same three steps:

1. Smoke the whole piece until it is tender, the same as you normally would.
2. Cube it into roughly one inch pieces, toss with sauce and a little rub, and spread in a pan.
3. Back in for 60 to 90 minutes at 250°F until the sauce tightens and the edges caramelise. The pan can go uncovered the whole time if you want more bark.

The only thing that changes between versions is the cut and how long the first stage takes.

1. Brisket burnt ends (the original)

The point end of a packer brisket: fatty, heavily marbled and built for this. Smoke the whole packer to about 195°F, separate the point from the flat, cube the point, sauce and return.

This is the benchmark version, and it is the most expensive one. Full method on brisket burnt ends.

2. Pork belly burnt ends

The crowd favourite, and the fastest route to the result. Pork belly is roughly half fat, so it renders into something genuinely candy-like in about half the time a brisket takes.

Cube the belly before smoking rather than after, which gives you far more surface area for bark. Smoke about 3 hours at 250°F, then sauce and return. See pork belly burnt ends.

3. Poor man’s burnt ends (chuck roast)

Chuck roast has similar marbling to a brisket point at a fraction of the price, which is where the name comes from. Smoke to about 195°F, cube, sauce and return.

The texture is slightly firmer than brisket and honestly close enough that most people cannot tell in a blind taste. Method on poor man’s burnt ends.

4. Pork butt burnt ends

If you are already cooking a pork butt for pulled pork, cube part of it instead. It is the cheapest version per pound and it scales well for a crowd.

Take the butt to about 195°F, cube, sauce and return for an hour. Slightly leaner than belly, so do not skip the sauce. See pork burnt ends.

5. Pork loin burnt ends

The outlier, and the one to be careful with. Loin is very lean, so it will not render the way the others do. Treat it as a glazed bite rather than a true burnt end, keep the second stage short, and lean on the sauce.

Cheap, fast, and a reasonable option if that is what is in the freezer. See poor man’s pork burnt ends.

Getting them right

• Fat is not optional. The whole effect depends on rendering. A lean cut gives you sauced meat cubes, not burnt ends.
• Do not drown them. Enough sauce to coat, not to pool. Too much and they steam instead of caramelising.
• Uncovered for the second stage if you want real bark on the cube edges.
• Watch the sugar. Most barbecue sauces are sugar-heavy and will scorch above about 275°F.

Frequently asked questions

What are burnt ends?

Cubes of fatty smoked meat, traditionally from the brisket point, that are sauced and returned to the smoker until the glaze caramelises and the edges crisp.

What is the best cut for burnt ends?

Brisket point is the original and the benchmark. Pork belly is the easiest and fastest, and chuck roast gives you a very close result for much less money.

How long do burnt ends take in the second stage?

About 60 to 90 minutes at 250°F, until the sauce has tightened onto the cubes and the edges have caramelised.

Can you make burnt ends from a lean cut?

Not really. Without fat there is nothing to render, so you end up with sauced cubes of meat. Pork loin is the leanest cut worth trying, and it needs a short second stage and plenty of sauce.

Every version above is on the burnt ends hub, each with its own calculator preset. See also the smoking times and temperatures chart.