Brisket burnt ends are the candy of barbecue: cubes cut from the fatty brisket point, seasoned, glazed, and smoked a second time until the edges caramelize into sticky, tender bites. Set your dinner time below and we will plan every step, from trimming the point to the final glaze, backward to the minute.
What are brisket burnt ends?
Traditional burnt ends come from the point (the fattier, more marbled half of a whole packer brisket). You smoke the brisket, separate the point once it is probe-tender, cube it into roughly 1.5 inch pieces, toss them in barbecue sauce and a little rub or brown sugar, then return them to the smoker so the glaze sets and the exterior firms into bark. The result is richer and more forgiving than sliced brisket, which is why they disappear first at every cookout.
Time, temperature, and technique
Smoke the point at 250 to 275 F until it hits about 200 to 205 F internal and probes like warm butter. Cube it, sauce it, and set it back in the smoker (or a foil pan) for another 60 to 90 minutes until the glaze is tacky and the cubes hold their shape. Pull temp is about feel more than a number at this stage, but the meat should read 200 F or higher. The calculator above turns your exact weight and dinner time into a start time and a step-by-step plan.
Tips for the best burnt ends
- Use the point, not the flat. The extra fat is what makes them tender and rich.
- Do not rush the first cook. Under 200 F and the cubes will be chewy, not melty.
- Glaze in a pan to catch the drippings, then serve the drippings over the cubes.
- Go easy on sweet sauce until the end so it caramelizes instead of burning.
Frequently asked
What temperature are brisket burnt ends done at? Around 200 to 205 F internal, cooked until fork-tender, then glazed.
How long do burnt ends take? Plan on the full brisket-point cook (often 8 to 12 hours depending on weight) plus 60 to 90 minutes to set the glaze. The calculator sizes it to your exact weight.
Can I make burnt ends from a brisket flat? You can, but the leaner flat dries out faster. The point is the classic choice. On a budget, smoked chuck roast makes excellent poor man’s burnt ends.
Craving more? See every variation in our Smoked Burnt Ends guide.
Brisket prices: retail vs wholesale
Brisket costs about $4.86 a pound at the grocery store this week and $4.19 a pound wholesale (USDA Choice; Prime is $5.69). The lowest advertised price is in the South Central at $3.99 (263 stores). USDA data: grocery ads running Oct 3-9, wholesale trades through Oct 9.
$4.86/lb national grocery ad average for Brisket, Whole (ads running Oct 3-9, 470 stores)
$4.19/lb wholesale, Choice brisket, deckle-off, boneless (IMPS 120) – USDA boxed-cut trades, Oct 5-Oct 9, 1,940,519 lb traded. The shelf price also covers cutting, packaging, labor, shrink and the store’s margin, and a supplier quotes above this for their margin, spec and delivery.
Dashed line: national average $4.86
See prices for every cut → · How much should you buy? · Cooking for money? Price the whole job
Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (Market News + LMPRS mandatory reporting), tracked daily by MeatSmokingCalculator. Retail = advertised grocery feature prices; wholesale = national boxed primal values. Not a quote – your store and supplier will vary.
Where brisket finishes. Pull temperature on one thermometer, against the safety floors; the faint ticks are every other cut on the chart.
Times & temperatures
| Style | Method | Pit temp | Approx time | Pull / done temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliced | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~75 min/lb | 190°F / 88°C |
| Sliced | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~35 min/lb | 190°F / 88°C |
| Pulled / Chopped | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~82 min/lb | 200°F / 93°C |
| Pulled / Chopped | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~40 min/lb | 200°F / 93°C |
| Flat Only | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~75 min/lb | 203°F / 95°C |
| Flat Only | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~35 min/lb | 203°F / 95°C |
| Point Only | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~82 min/lb | 205°F / 96°C |
| Point Only | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~40 min/lb | 205°F / 96°C |
| Point & Flat (Split) | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~82 min/lb | 205°F / 96°C |
| Point & Flat (Split) | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~40 min/lb | 205°F / 96°C |
| Burnt Ends (Point) | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~82 min/lb + ~1.5 hr finish | 203°F / 95°C |
| Burnt Ends (Point) | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~40 min/lb + ~1.5 hr finish | 203°F / 95°C |
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
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Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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