How to Make Burnt Ends Without a Smoker

This poor man’s burnt ends recipe is an excellent way to learn how to make burnt ends without a smoker.

This recipe is also a great way to get all the classic BBQ flavors you love in burnt ends without even having to smoke an entire brisket.

By using a chuck roast rather than a brisket, these chuck roast burnt ends will save you some pocket change as well as some time spent at the grill without affecting the flavor.

What Are Poor Man’s Burnt Ends?

Well, poor man’s burnt ends are beef burnt ends made with a chuck roast rather than a brisket.

Traditionally, BBQ brisket burnt ends are obtained from the fat-marbled point of an entire packer brisket.

They are the best bite in the BBQ world, slow-smoked until they are almost falling apart tender and then basted in mouth-watering BBQ sauce.

These burnt ends are similar to brisket style but might be slightly intimidating compared to traditional brisket burnt ends.

Poor man’s burnt ends are likely to be an inexpensive option compared to brisket burnt ends, but you can mostly find meat that is rather comparable in price.

Just think of them as bite-sized pieces of perfectly smoked beef exploding with BBQ flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Always A Hit

Everyone who tries these finger-licking burnt ends indeed falls in love at first bite.

You might want to make a few extra servings because they are always the first to disappear at any gathering.

Versatile

In addition, there is a lot of room to customize the dry rub and barbecue sauce combination to suit your tastes.

Mostly Hands-Off

There’s not much you have to do for this recipe besides seasoning and slicing the meat, despite it tasting like it took hours of work to make.

What You Need to Make Brisket Burnt Ends

When it comes to how to make burnt ends, it starts with getting the ingredients you want first.

You can just ask the butcher for the point cut if you want it based on where you are getting your meat.

It can be affordable and easier to get to the point, and grilling can become much shorter. This happens more often than not.

In addition, you will need to get some powdered beef bouillon or beef broth to combine with your sauce.

The sauce is mostly made or combined with the brisket’s drippings for flavor in a recipe that calls for a whole brisket.

With just the point, less juice and fat drip off, so broth or bouillon is substituted for it instead, and you will find out that the result is just as mouth-watering.

The original sauce used to make burnt ends is a classic sweet BBQ sauce, but any other can be used.

An excellent sauce for burnt ends should still focus on pairing well with the beef, just like BBQ sauce does.

However, I will suggest that you try out a fruitier sauce to cut through that richness, or even a tangy barbecue sauce instead.

Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

Poor man’s burnt ends are here, and it’s quite evident that they are anything but poor.

They are rich in flavor and cooked until they fall apart. Finger-licking.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

Beef

• 1 chuck roast, about 3 to 4 Ibs
• Canola oil
• Tennessee smoke seasoning or your favorite BBQ seasoning

Spicy Bourbon BBQ Sauce

• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup of ketchup
• ½ tablespoon of Worcestershire
• ½ tablespoon of garlic paste
• 2 oz. of Bourbon
• 1.5 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons of hot sauce
• Salt, to taste

Laid-Out Instructions

• First, you are to cube your chuck roast into”2″-sized cubes and place them in a bowl. After that, lather with canola oil and then season lavishly with Tennessee smoke seasoning or your favorite BBQ seasoning.
• That being done, place the cubes onto a baking tray with around ½” separation between each cube.
• Proceed to preheat the grill using a two-zone fire with Cowboy charcoal to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. And, for added smoke flavor, add smoke hickory chunks or chips.
• After that, place the beef on the grill to cook for around 4 to 5 hours until it starts to tenderize and develop a good exterior bark.
• Heat a medium-high fire for the BBQ sauce as the beef smokes, and add a skillet with the bourbon to simmer for 30 seconds.
• Afterward, add the rest of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce and allow it to simmer until thickened.
• Pull the BBQ sauce off the heat to cool once it is warm and well incorporated. Also, pull the beef off after 1.5 hours on the grill and place it into a medium-sized foil bin.
• Next, top the burnt ends with the BBQ sauce and mix around; cover the bin with aluminum foil; and place back on the grill to cook for another 2 hours.
• When that is done, add more BBQ sauce if needed so that there is a decent amount of liquid to break down the burnt ends.
• Pull them off once the burnt ends are succulent and can easily break apart, and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
• Lastly, toss the cooled burnt ends in some of the foil bin sauce, season with a little more BBQ seasoning, and enjoy.

What Can I Serve With This Recipe?

These burnt ends taste great with mac and cheese, broccoli cauliflower salad, cornbread, cauliflower mashed potatoes, or sautéed potatoes.

To be honest, they go well with practically any side and make the perfect addition to a cookout or holiday spread.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

In The Fridge

You can just transfer any leftovers you have to a tightly sealed container and store them in the fridge, which will make them last for up to 3 to 4 days.

In The Freezer

You are to allow the meal to cool completely and store it in a freezer-safe airtight container or ziplock with the additional air squeezed out. They will remain frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheating

I will strongly suggest that you put the leftover burnt ends back in a baking dish and warm them in the oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes.

What’s the Difference Between Traditional Burnt Ends and Poor Man’s Burnt Ends?

Traditional burnt ends are obtained from the point end of a brisket, while chuck roast burnt ends are obtained from cutting up a slab of chuck roast into 1-inch cubes.

The “poor man” name comes down to the price of the meat. An entire brisket can set you back about $40 to $50 at the grocery store, whereas a 3 to 4-pound chuck roast might only be $10.

And, time is another major difference between a brisket’s burnt ends and a poor man’s burnt ends.

Brisket has a much longer smoking time compared to a chuck roast.

A brisket might take 10 to 12 hours, but a chuck roast takes around 6 to 7 hours and might take less.

Final Thoughts

Most times, we want a recipe to give us an exact cooking time, but the best way to cook is always at the right temperature.

However, keep in mind that every cut of meat is different, and each will finish at a different time.

You will never miss it if you cook to temperature rather than time.

Now, this brings us to the end of this guide, as you now perfectly know how to make burnt ends without a smoker.