Smoked Brisket and Burnt Ends

Rating: 5.00
(1)
By Dave
June 3, 2022
Yum

Smoked brisket and burnt ends are the ultimate in backyard barbecue. Smoking a brisket does not have to be intimidating. It’s actually quite easy and absolutely worth the effort.

Brisket & Burnt Ends

Smoked brisket and burnt ends are arguably the ultimate in backyard BBQ cooking. There is something mysterious, aloof and a bit scary about cooking a brisket. Burnt ends just take the fear index up tenfold. But it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Learn how to trim a brisket and you are halfway there. Smoking a brisket is easy and the burnt ends are not hard at all. Not one bit! So, take the plunge and smoke a brisket. You will be glad you did.

Burnt Ends
Burnt Ends

Choosing a Brisket

Over the years I have made a lot of brisket. I have tried choice, prime and even Wagyu. If I had to choose one, it would be a prime brisket. Why? Well a prime has a bit more marbling than choice. Of course most of that fat renders out during the cooking process, so is there really that much difference? For me, yes, but just a little. I would rather have a bit more fat in the brisket in case it cooks too long. That would help it from getting dried out. It’s not much of a reason, but for the nominal cost difference, I would buy a prime brisket every time.

Raw Packer Brisket
Raw Packer Brisket

As for Wagyu, for my money it’s not worth the price tag. A Wagyu brisket is significantly more expense that a prime and almost 4X the cost of a choice brisket. The reason to buy Wagyu beef in the first place is to be able to taste all that wonderful fat. But, if it all, or most of it, renders out, then I just have a very happy smoker and no real difference in the final brisket. I say, save you money and invest in some more cool BBQ gear.

Dry Rub Texas Style

I live in Austin, Texas and I can tell you that Texans are fanatic about their brisket. It is THE go to meat at any respectable BBQ joint in town. For the record, in Austin, baby back ribs are way down there in the BBQ pecking order (but I love them anyways). Texans like to taste the meat and the smoke, not a bunch of sissy, namby-pamby, crybaby, yellow belly, pansy, cream puff, panty waste, mama’s boy dry rub full of brown sugar, paprika, molasses and a whole bunch of other stuff that does not belong on brisket. To be fair, I like all that stuff on baby back ribs, but that’s not the point. The point is that Texans like it simple, salt and pepper, that’s it. Rub it in and show it some smoke. That is Texas brisket.

Brisket Going Into the Smoker
Brisket Going Into the Smoker

The Stall

Every brisket ever cooked will have its internal temperature climb steadily until it hits about 160˚F. Then, it just stop, seemingly forever. It just sits there around 160˚F and does not move. Welcome to the stall. This is the mysterious point in the life of a brisket where the cooking temperature stops climbing until something is burns off. Remember separating two or more mixed liquids in chemistry class? The temperature would rise and then stall at the boiling point of one of the liquids, then it would rise until the boiling point of the next liquid was reached. A brisket is kind of like that. Clearly water does not boil at 160˚F, but the science is probably correct. It’s not moving until something is gone.

Resist the temptation to open the lid and peak. You will just add 10 minutes to the overall cooking time every time you do, Be patient, it will break through. When it does, take the brisket out and wrap it up.

To Wrap or Not to Wrap, That is the Question

There are a two different opinions out there regarding whether or not to wrap a brisket when it comes out of the stall. I have tried both, and I prefer wrapped. The real reason is that a bunch of BBQ pit masters much smarter than me believe in wrapping a brisket with all of their soul. I figure if it’s good enough for Franklin BBQ, it’s good enough for me.

Brisket in Smoker Wrapped in Butcher Paper
Brisket in Smoker Wrapped in Butcher Paper

It may not be conventional, but I add a bit of Wagyu beef tallow to both the brisket and the paper prior to wrapping. I think it helps keep it most and adds a bit of flavor.

Adding Beef Tallow to Brisket Before Wrapping
Adding Beef Tallow to Brisket Before Wrapping

Burnt Ends or Fatty Brisket, You Cannot Have Both

Most BBQ spots in Austin leave the point on the brisket and ask if you want lean or fatty brisket. That means do you want just the flat or part of the flat and point. This is also how most competition cooks cut their brisket. Well, that may be fine for them but not for me. I love burnt ends. To me, they are the nectar of the BBQ gods. I would buy just brisket points if I could. So, I ALWAYS separate the point from the flat after cooking and make burnt ends. I just can’t help myself. My wife keeps telling me that the first step to getting well is to recognize that I have a problem.

Separating Brisket Point From the Flat
Separating Brisket Point From the Flat
Cutting Brisket Point for Burnt Ends
Cutting Brisket Point for Burnt Ends

Other Great BBQ Recipes

Watch How to Make Smoked Brisket and Burnt Ends on YouTube

Burnt Ends

Smoked Brisket & Burnt Ends

5 from 1 vote
Smoked brisket and burnt ends are the ultimate in backyard barbecue. Smoking a brisket does not have to be intimidating. It's actually quite easy and absolutely worth the effort.
Servings 12 servings
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 hrs
Resting Time 2 hrs
Total Time 12 hrs 30 mins

Equipment

  • 1 Smoker

Ingredients
  

  • 12 lb Packer brisket
  • 1 tbs kosher salt
  • 1 tbs black pepper freshly ground
  • 12 oz barbecue sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat smoker to 250˚F – 275˚F. Trim the extra fat from the packer brisket.
    Raw Packer Brisket
  • Rub the brisket with equal parts of kosher salt and black pepper.
    Brisket Going Into the Smoker
  • Smoke until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.
    Brisket After 10 Hours in the Smoker
  • Wrap the brisket in butcher paper coated with beef tallow. Return the brisket to the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 202˚F (about two hours).
    Brisket in Smoker Wrapped in Butcher Paper
  • Remove the brisket from the smoker. Separate the point from the flap by gently inserting a knife between the two. The thin fat layer holding the two pieced together will be easy to cut through. Wrap the flat portion in butcher paper, then a few towels and place in a room temperature cooler to rest for two hours.
    Separating Brisket Point From the Flat
  • Cut the point into 1.5 – 2" chunks and place in an aluminum pan. Cover with your favorite BBQ sauce and return to the smoker, uncovered for two hours.
    Cutting Brisket Point for Burnt Ends
  • Slice the brisket and serve with BBQ sauce and the burnt ends, or, keep the burnt ends for yourself.
    Burnt Ends

Video

Notes

PAID AFFILIATE LINKS
 
BBQ Tools & Supplies
 
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 6ozCalories: 753kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 94gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 281mgSodium: 1232mgPotassium: 1569mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 66IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 9mg
Calories: 753kcal
Cost: $40
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: BBQ
Keyword: beef brisket, burnt ends, smoked brisket

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