Smoked Burnt Ends

Burnt ends are the caramelized, glazed cubes that vanish first at any cookout. Born from the fatty point of a smoked brisket, the technique now spans beef and pork. Below are five ways to make them, each with a free calculator that plans your cook backward from dinner to the minute.

What are burnt ends?

You smoke a rich, collagen-heavy cut until it is tender, cut it into roughly 1.5 inch cubes, toss the cubes in barbecue sauce (usually with butter and a little brown sugar), and return them to the smoker so the glaze sets into a sticky, candied bark. The double dose of smoke and the caramelized edges are what make burnt ends so addictive.

Which burnt ends should you make?

• Brisket burnt ends are the original: made from the brisket point, deeply beefy and tender. The gold standard, and the biggest project.
• Pork belly burnt ends are the richest and most forgiving, with silky rendered fat and a candy-like glaze. They cook in about half the time.
• Poor man’s burnt ends use an inexpensive chuck roast for nearly the same beefy result at a weeknight price.
• Pork burnt ends from a pork shoulder are meaty, juicy, and easy.
• Poor man’s pork burnt ends use a lean pork loin for a quick, budget-friendly bite.

The basic method

Smoke your cut at 250 to 275 F until it is probe-tender (about 200 to 205 F for beef and pork shoulder; 190 to 200 F for pork belly; 145 F for lean pork loin). Cube it, toss with sauce, butter, and brown sugar in a foil pan, and return to the smoker for another 30 to 90 minutes to set the glaze, finishing uncovered so it caramelizes. Pick a recipe above and the calculator will size the whole timeline to your exact weight.