How to Make Brisket Burnt Ends - Traeger Grills (2024)

FAQs

How do you get burnt ends on a brisket? ›

Burnt ends are made using the point of the brisket, so your next step will be separating the point from the flat. Using a sharp knife, separate the point from the flat by cutting along the layer of fat that divides the two pieces. Once they have been separated, trim off any excess fat on the point side.

Often used for other meats that require long, slow cooking on the barbecue, such as ribs, the 3-2-1 method essentially involves firstly smoking the meat as it is for three hours, wrapping it for the second two hours, and finally finishing the cooking unwrapped for the last hour.

In fact, you want to pull your brisket from the heat when your point reaches 195°F (91°C). That's the ideal temperature to cut it up because if it were much more tender, actually cutting it into cubes could prove difficult!

We recommend smoking a 12 to 14-pound brisket (otherwise known as a full packer) for 8 to 9 hours at 225℉, Super Smoke mode, or until the internal temperature reaches 204℉. We then recommend letting it sit for an hour before slicing it.

Rest your brisket flat in a cooler for at least one hour. Take the point and cut it into 1” cubes. Place the cubes in the aluminum pan. Season and toss the cubes with more Meat Church Holy Gospel as a traditional Kansas City Burnt End is sweet.

Burnt Ends vs Brisket

Burnt ends are the trimmings from a smoked brisket. During the smoking process, the point cut of the brisket develops a rich, smoky bark and crunchy texture. Pitmasters trim off this flavorful section, cut them into cubes, sauce them, and then kiss them with smoke to caramelize them.

195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C): This is often considered the sweet spot for the internal temperature of brisket. When the meat reaches this range, it's usually tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor.

A: You can usually figure about 1.5 hours per pound at 225 degrees for brisket, pork shoulder and other larger pieces of meat. Several things can affect this time such as actual meat thickness, wind, temperature and how often you open the door of the smoker.

While smoking meat, you should pay special attention to the temperature danger zone because there is a higher chance of bacteria growth in the meat. Therefore, you need to find the optimum temperature for meat. As mentioned above, the temperature danger zone is 46°F -140°F (8°C-60°C).

Make sure your smoker is at a low temperature for smoking the burnt ends. Too high of a temperature can result in tough, chewy pieces of meat.

How to tell when burnt ends are done? ›

Cover the pan with foil and cook for another 1-2 hours until the burnt ends reach 200 degrees F when tested with a digital meat thermometer (affiliate link). The burnt ends should be so tender they're almost falling apart, and the thermometer should slide in and out like it's going through a stick of softened butter.

Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart. You should be able to slice it into pieces that can just hold together, requiring a little pull to come apart.

Place the brisket directly on the grill grates, fat-side down. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150-160°F, 8-12 hours, spritzing with apple juice every 30-45 minutes after the first 3 hours.

So, the next time you're cooking a delicious cut of brisket on your wood pellet grill, remember these tips: no flipping, basting, braising, and always cook fat-side-down.

Pros. It protects the meat from bottom heat – while heat is evenly distributed in the food smoker, the side facing downwards receives much more as it's placed directly on top of the smoker. Putting your brisket fat-side down protects the meat from overcooking as it gets just enough heat.

When the meat has cooled, cut off the fatty top layer. Slice the brisket into 1/4-inch-thick slices and put the slices into a roasting pan. Cover the sliced meat with the defatted cooking liquid and reheat slowly. All the fat is gone and the meat is tender and juicy.

Despite the name, burnt ends are not actually burnt. The meat fat and the seasoning rubbed on the brisket react when smoked, caramelizing the outside of the meat and creating a dark-colored, flavorful “bark” or outer crust while the meat inside turns moist.

Although the two brisket cuts can often be used interchangeably, the flat cut is most often used in braises that are sliced, like those popular on Jewish holidays and for corned beef. The fattier point cut, meanwhile, is preferred for pulled beef, beef sandwiches and smoked barbecued brisket.