This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see the disclosure for more information.
Burnt ends are an absolute treat that I only get to enjoy on occasion. They’re normally made from the point of a beef brisket, smoked low-and-slow for hours and hours. But, you can get that same magical tender juicy beefy bite using a much cheaper (poor man’s burnt ends so-to-speak) cut of meat, a chuck roast. The process is the same. Smoke for hours, cut into pieces, add a bit of sauce, and smoke some more. That’s it. Every bite just falls apart. Great by themselves, on a roll as a sandwich, or my favorite, served over cheesy grits.
The Sauce Is Important
You do not want to use a heavy, thick BBQ sauce when making poor man’s burnt ends. Use a milder sauce that doesn’t have a lot of sugar or molasses. Less is definitely more. You can always add sauce to them when you serve them.
You can also just smoke a chuck roast as you would any other large piece of meat. Like pork shoulder or butt. It makes for the perfect shredded beef sandwich. Check out my post on smoked chuck roast here.
If I’m reaching for a bottled BBQ sauce, I often go for Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Poor Man’s Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 3 pound chuck roast
- Your favorite BBQ seasoning
- your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- FIre up your smoker for 225 F cooking. Use a few chunks of hickory or a lighter wood.
- Season the chuck on all sides with the rub and place onto the smoker.
- Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 185 F.
- Carefully remove the chuck and wrap in foil. Let rest on your counter for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chuck roast from the foil and transfer to a cutting board.
- Cut into 3/4″ cubes and place into a disposable aluminum pan.
- Lightly (very lightly!) drizzle the meat with the BBQ sauce. You just want the flavor from the sauce. Toss gently to coat.
- Sprinkle with more of the rub and return to the smoker for 1 1/2 more hours.
- Devour.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
