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    Home » Smoked Meats

    Poor Man's Burnt Ends (Extremely Tender)

    Published: Jan 25, 2022 · Modified: Jan 16, 2023 by Will · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.

    Poor man's burnt ends are made with an inexpensive chuck roast and come out extremely tender and have a great smoke flavor! These little meat nuggets are irresistible, once you pop you can't stop!

    Smoked burnt end being ripped in half with black gloves
    Jump to:
    • What are Poor Man's Burnt Ends?
    • How to make poor man's burnt ends
    • Smokers & Wood
    • BBQ sauce
    • Finishing it off
    • Burnt ends Video - How to
    • FAQ
    • Old Pro Tips
    • Poor Man's Burnt Ends Recipe

    What are Poor Man's Burnt Ends?

    Burnt ends are typically made in a smoker with the point end of a beef brisket where as poor man's burnt ends are made with a chuck roast. A chuck roast can typically be purchased in smaller amounts such as 3-4lbs where as a brisket is normally sold much larger in the 10lb plus range.

    Even though the price per pound isn't that much different between the two cuts of beef, the smaller chuck roast tends to be less expensive. This is what gives these their poor man's name.

    How to make poor man's burnt ends

    The thing I love about these meat treats is they are inexpensive, taste delicious, and are super EASY to make. Start with a 3-4lb chuck roast for this chuck roast burnt ends recipe which can be found at your local butcher or grocery store.

    Seasoning the meat

    Less is more when seasoning for these chuck roast burnt ends. Simply sprinkle on a 50:50 mixture of sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, about a couple tablespoons of each. No need to go crazy with other ingredients and flavors, salt & pepper will taste great!

    Place the roast on a cutting board and season evenly on all sides with the salt and pepper.

    Beef chuck roast covered in salt and pepper on cutting board with seasoning dish

    No need to coat the roast in oil or a binder, the salt and pepper will stick to it just fine.

    Smoking the roast

    Fire up those smokers and get it to a consistent temperature of 275°F. Use hickory wood chips or a blend of different wood. Place the chuck roast directly on the grill grates and smoke until an internal temperature of 165°F, about 5 hours.

    Use the thermometer provided with your pellet smoker or a meat thermometer with probes if using an offset smoker. This will allow you to monitor the temperature without opening the lid of the grill.

    Smoked chuck roast being placed on aluminum foil

    Using gloves, remove the wrapped roast from the smoker and wrap tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil.

    Smokers & Wood

    There are two main types of smokers used today, a wood pellet smoker and a traditional offset smoker. Both will produce a fantastic tasting burnt end, so choose your smoker and let's roll some smoke!

    a pellet smoker next to an offset smoker

    Pellet smoker / Pellet grill

    I'm smoking these burnt ends on my pellet smoker, just like the Camp Chef 36 smoker or Traeger 780. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor on the beef, and other meats for that matter, without having to babysit a firebox all day.

    They operate on wood pellets and hold a very steady temperature just like an oven. No worrying about temp spikes or dips with one of these bad boys.

    Offset smoker

    A traditional offset smoker is another great smoker to use. These use wood chips or wood chunks opposed to pellets and are normally less expensive than a pellet smoker.

    A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker is a great option to use. Though it takes a little more attention than a pellet smoker, this produces amazing flavored meat.

    Best wood to use

    Hickory wood is my favorite wood to use when making a chuck roast burnt ends. These can handle a more strong flavored wood such as mesquite as well.

    Bag of trophy blend hardwood pellets

    If using a pellet smoker, using a competition or trophy blend of wood also gives these meat snacks the perfect flavor.

    Slicing into small chunks

    Place back on the smoker rack and continue to cook until the roasts internal temperature reaches of 195°F - 202°F or probe tender. This should take about another hour or so.

    Slicing smoked chuck roast into small pieces on cutting board for burnt ends

    Remove the meat from the smoker and discard the butcher paper or aluminum foil. Slice into 1 inch cubes with a sharp knife.

    BBQ sauce

    Place the sliced meat in an aluminum pan and cover liberally with your favorite BBQ sauce. I'm using Jack Daniels sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, which has a fantastic balanced flavor.

    Barbecue sauce being poured over smoked chuck roast in aluminum pan

    Mix the sauce around with your gloved hand or a spoon until the meat has a good covering of barbecue sauce. Don't drown the meat in sauce, simply make sure there is a nice coating on all the pieces.

    Want it a little more sweet? Sprinkle on a little brown sugar before you drizzle on the BBQ sauce for that extra sweetness!

    Finishing it off

    Cover the foil pan with a lid or aluminum foil and return to the smoker. Smoke for another hour to warm the sauce and allow it to become sticky on the chuck roast burnt ends.

    smoked burnt ends ripped apart by hand to show how tender it is

    The smoked burnt ends will be EXTREMELY tender and have a great flavor from the sauce and smoke. At this point they are ready to eat as an appetizer or serve as an entre. These pair great with some smoked mac n' cheese or smoked baked beans. ENJOY!

    Burnt ends Video - How to

    FAQ

    What kind of meat is poor man's burnt ends?

    Beef chuck roast. Regular burnt ends are made from beef brisket.

    What do you do with burnt ends?

    Either eat as an appetizer or it can be served as an entre accompanied by sides such as mac and cheese, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.

    Are burnt ends chewy?

    No. They are slowly cooked at a low temperature which makes them extremely tender with a nice crust on the outside.

    How do I store Burnt Ends?

    Keep them in the aluminum tray you smoked them in and cover with a top or aluminum foil. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    What's the best way to reheat burnt ends?

    Pull the container out of the fridge and place in a 350°F pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes. Leave the aluminum foil covering the dish when reheating.

    Old Pro Tips

    • Plan about ½lb pre-cooked weight per person. A 3lb chuck roast will serve 6 people.
    • Buy good BBQ gloves that have a cotton liner glove that goes underneath the nitrile glove to enable you to handle hot meat straight off the smoker.
    • Fresh cracked course ground black pepper gives a great flavor and texture to the meat.
    Slicing smoked chuck roast into small pieces on cutting board for burnt ends

    Poor Man's Burnt Ends Recipe

    Poor man's burnt ends are made with an inexpensive chuck roast and come out extremely tender and have a great smoke flavor!
    5 from 34 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 7 hours
    Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Type: Smoked Meat
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 495kcal
    Author: Will
    Cost: 12

    Ingredients
     

    • 3 lb chuck roast
    • 2 tablespoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoon black pepper
    • 1 cup BBQ sauce

    Equipment

    Pellet Grill
    Pellet Smoker
    aluminum pans for cooking
    Aluminum Pan

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat smoker to 275°F and remove chuck roast from the fridge.
    • Cover chuck roast on all sides liberally with salt and pepper. Place chuck roast unwrapped directly on smoker rack and smoke until an internal temperature of 165°F, about 5 hours.
    • Remove chuck roast and wrap tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil. Place roast back on the smoker rack and smoke until an internal temp of 195°F - 202°F or until probe tender, about 1 hour.
    • Remove chuck roast to cutting board and unwrap. Slice into 1" cubes with a sharp knife.
    • Place sliced meat into an aluminum pan and pour in BBQ sauce. Mix with your hands (while wearing gloves) or a spoon until the meat is evenly coated with sauce.
    • Cover aluminum pan with a lid or aluminum foil and place back on smoker for 1 hour.
    • Remove from smoker and serve as an appetizer with toothpicks or as a main course. Enjoy!

    Pro Tips

    • Plan about ½lb pre-cooked weight per person. A 3lb chuck roast will serve 6 people.
    • Buy good BBQ gloves that have a cotton liner glove that goes underneath the nitrile glove to enable you to handle hot meat straight off the smoker.
    • Fresh cracked course ground black pepper gives a great flavor and texture to the meat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 2999mg | Potassium: 891mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Poor Man\'s Burnt Ends (Extremely Tender)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jon says

      May 15, 2022 at 12:17 pm

      I think the author needs to adjust the cook time for the recipe. It says cook roast for around 5 hours to 165 IT. Then wrap and cook till 195 -203 IT. Then cube and cook for another hour. But the recipe says total time with prep only 6.5 hours? I think he forgot to add in how long it takes to get to 195 - 203.

      Reply
      • Will says

        May 15, 2022 at 12:44 pm

        Hey Jon. Thanks for pointing this out! I adjusted the cook time in the recipe card. It should take about 5 hours to reach 165°F, another 1 hour to 202°F, and a final hour coated with BBQ sauce for a total of 7 hours cooking time. Make sure when you make the recipe you cook to temperature and not time however. It might take your roast only 4 hours to reach 165°F, or possibly 6 hours. Every smoker and cut of meat cooks differently. Thanks again Jon!

        Reply
    2. Colleen says

      February 09, 2022 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      I'm giving this recipe to my husband so he can make these for game day. They look delicious!

      Reply
    3. Bernice says

      February 09, 2022 at 1:35 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! I am drooling over here. This is such a great idea, especially with beef prices blowing through the roof. We're having a nice mild February and getting in a few days of smoking before the snow blows through again. This recipe made the cut!

      Reply
    4. Sunrita says

      February 09, 2022 at 11:55 am

      5 stars
      A perfect busy nights dinner served with a large bowl Of salad. So good. Love such simple easy recipes!

      Reply
    5. Brianna May says

      February 06, 2022 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      I had some chuck roast in the freezer and decided to try this out. So tasty! My whole family loved these.

      Reply
    6. Natalie says

      February 02, 2022 at 4:45 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow, what a feast. The meat looks perfectly cooked. What a perfect Sunday dinner.

      Reply

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