Hot Honey BBQ Burnt Ends
Hot honey BBQ burnt ends start with a 3 to 4 pound brisket point seasoned with Blackened Seasoning and a lighter layer of Honey BBQ Wing Dust. Smoke it at 250°F for 4 to 5 hours until the bark is dark and the inside hits 165 to 175°F, cube it, then braise the cubes covered in Hot Honey BBQ Sauce, butter and beef stock until probe-tender. A final 20 to 30 minutes uncovered turns the sauce into a sticky, caramelized glaze. Plan on 6 to 8 hours total.
Every Flavor Formation recipe in the printed booklet is a fast cook. Wings, skewers, steak bites, nachos. This one is the opposite on purpose. It's the low-and-slow finale of the Flavor Formation BBQ Box Overtime recipes, and it's the one to start first thing in the morning so it's ready by the late game.
It's also the only recipe in the box that puts three of the products on the same piece of meat. Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab and Kosmos Q Honey BBQ Wing Dust build the bark. Williamson Bros. Hot Honey BBQ Sauce does the braise and the glaze.
Why burnt ends come from the brisket point
A whole brisket has two muscles. The flat is lean and slices well. The point sits on top of it, and it's thick, heavily marbled and loaded with connective tissue. That fat and collagen are exactly what burnt ends need, because they render during the long cook and keep every cube juicy through a second round in the pan.
Most butchers will sell you a point on its own if you ask. If you can only find whole packer briskets, separate the point along the thick fat seam between the two muscles and save the flat for another cook. Trim any hard, waxy fat, but leave about a quarter inch on top where it will render into the meat.
Building the bark with two seasonings
The Blackened Seasoning goes on first and heaviest. Salt, coarse black pepper and paprika are the same backbone a Texas-style brisket rub leans on, and the onion, garlic and chipotle add savory depth that holds up to six hours of smoke. A thin coat of yellow mustard or neutral oil underneath gives it something to stick to.
The Honey BBQ Wing Dust goes on second, and lighter. Kosmos Q built it as a finishing dust for hot wings, and we'd normally tell you to keep it off direct heat (we explain why in Pro Tip: The Finishing Dust). At 250°F it's a different story. The dried honey has time to caramelize into the bark instead of scorching, and it gives the outside of each cube a sweet, hickory-smoked edge that lines up with the Hot Honey glaze later. Keep the coat light so the sugar supports the bark instead of taking it over.
Best wood for hot honey burnt ends
Hickory, oak or pecan. Beef can handle a bolder smoke than poultry or fish, and all three give you deep color without the bitterness a heavy wood like mesquite can leave over a long cook. Hickory is the boldest of the three, oak is steady and clean, and pecan sits a little milder and sweeter, which plays nicely with the honey. For a deeper breakdown, see our complete guide to the best wood for smoking.
The three stages of great burnt ends
Stage one is bark. Smoke the seasoned point at 250°F, fat side down or facing your smoker's main heat source, until the outside is dark and firm and the internal temperature reads around 165 to 175°F. That usually takes 4 to 5 hours.
Stage two is the braise. Cube the point into roughly 1½-inch pieces and move them into a foil pan with the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce, butter and beef stock. Toss, cover tight and put it back on the smoker for another 1½ to 2 hours. The trapped steam finishes breaking down the connective tissue while the sauce soaks into every cut face. Add brown sugar only if you want a sweeter, candy-like finish.
Stage three is the glaze. Foil off, toss the cubes in everything that's collected in the pan, and give them 20 to 30 minutes uncovered. The liquid reduces and the edges go tacky and caramelized. Wet and glossy means they need more time. Sticky means they're ready.
Cut every cube the same size. Burnt ends braise and glaze as a batch, so a few oversized cubes will still be tight when the rest are done. Aim for consistent 1½-inch pieces and the whole pan finishes together.
More burnt ends from the GMC kitchen
If you've made burnt ends before, this version sits on the sweet-heat end of the range. For a classic beef approach, try our Brisket Burnt Ends with Lane's Brisket Rub and Kinder's. Short on time? Pork belly gets you burnt ends in a fraction of the cook, like these Sticky Pork Belly Burnt End Sliders or Sticky Cherry Chipotle Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
Running the grill while the smoker works? The Hot Honey Blackened Chicken Sandwich uses the same sauce and seasoning and comes together in about 30 minutes. And for the full playbook on how every product in the box works together, read the Flavor Formation box overview.
Hot honey BBQ burnt ends FAQ
What temperature are burnt ends done?
Usually somewhere around 200 to 205°F, but go by feel, not the number. When a probe or toothpick slides into a cube with almost no resistance, they're ready. If they still feel tight, give them more time.
Can I use a whole brisket instead of just the point?
You can smoke a whole packer and turn only the point into burnt ends, which is how a lot of pitmasters do it. Slice the flat to serve alongside. Expect a longer total cook time with a full packer.
Are these spicy?
Mild. The heat in the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce builds slowly behind the sweetness, and the Blackened Seasoning is more pepper and paprika than burn. Most of what you taste is smoke, honey and bark.
Can I make burnt ends ahead of time?
Yes. Cool and refrigerate them in their glaze, then reheat covered in a pan at low heat with a splash of beef stock until warmed through. Uncover for the last few minutes to tighten the glaze back up.
What you need from us
The brisket point, mustard, butter, beef stock and brown sugar come from the grocery store. These come from us.
- Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab is the base of the bark
- Kosmos Q Honey BBQ Wing Dust adds a sweet, hickory-smoked layer on top
- Williamson Bros. Hot Honey BBQ Sauce does the braise and the sticky finish
- Hickory, oak or pecan smoking chunks by Camerons for a long, steady smoke
- Grill Masters Club Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer to track the point through the bark stage
All three seasonings and sauces are in the Flavor Formation BBQ Box along with two more products, six printed pitmaster recipes and five online bonus recipes, this one included. Free US shipping.
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