Tender, smoked chuck roast is grilled to perfection with a flavorful rub and sweet BBQ sauce. Enjoy these mouthwatering Burnt Ends as a main course, side or appetizer.

Burnt ends in an aluminum pan with a gold fork.

If you haven’t tried burnt ends, you need to fix that STAT! They have an incredible rich flavor and taste like little bites of meat candy.

They take longer to prepare than your average BBQ recipe, but trust me, it’s worth the extra effort. You’ll love these tender chuck roasted cubes are slathered in a rich bbq sauce. On first bite, I was hooked!

This is a great recipe for anyone to make. You’l feel like a real pit master after you make these one time. I could eat a big bowl of these cubes of meat on my own. So addicting!

Why You’ll Love BBQ Burnt Ends

Classic summer BBQ recipe
The homemade spice rub is delicious
Mouth tender with amazing taste
Easy to make
You can use wood chips for a more intense smoke flavor
Many ways to serve
Wet version of the recipe with loads of sauce
Always a hit at parties

Ingredients

Chuck roast – If you use a chuck roast that is less than 3 pounds, your cooking time may vary.
Yellow mustard – I like French’s mustard

Dry Rub

Salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Celery seeds
Smoked paprika

Sauce

Salted butter
BBQ sauce – You can use store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce.
Light brown sugar

How to Make Poor Man’s Burnt Ends (Wet Version)

Day Before the Cook

Step One: Place your chuck roast on a plate and pat dry with a paper towel.
Step Two: Coat the roast with mustard. Set aside. Note: Depending on the size of your roast, you may need more or less mustard.
Step Three: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dry rub: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seeds and smoked paprika.
Step Four: Sprinkle the dry rub on the chuck roast and slightly press into the roast. Make sure to cover all sides.
Step Five: Place roast in an airtight container with a lid or a 9×13 pan covered with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.

Morning of the Cook

Step One: Prepare your BBQ for indirect heat. Plan for 8 hours+ cook. Note: We used a Big Green Egg charcoal so we placed enough charcoal to last 8 hours. All BBQs are different for the amount needed. Some you will need to add more throughout the cook.
Step Two: Bring your BBQ to 250°F. Note: I place a catch pan under my grill so it will catch all the drippings. I also add water so the drippings don’t catch fire.
Step Three: Once at temperature, place the chuck roast on the grill. Close the cover and let it cook until it has reached an internal temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F. It took us about 4 hours to reach that temperature.

Step Four: Cut 2 pieces of aluminum foil that are big enough for you to wrap the chuck roast. Note: I use 2 pieces in case one layer gets ripped or poked, I don’t lose moisture. Make sure to wrap carefully around the wireless probe, if using, so it doesn’t come out.
Step Five: Once the chuck roast is at 150 to 160 degrees F internal temperature, place the chuck on top of the foil paper. Brush on ½ cup barbecue sauce. Add the diced butter on top. Wrap the chuck tightly and be careful if you use a probe.
Step Six: Place back on the grill and close the cover.
Step Seven: Continue cooking until you have reached an internal temperature of 190 to 205 degrees F. Remove chuck from the grill and place on a cutting board. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step Eight: While the meat is resting, increase your BBQ temperature to 350°F.
Step Nine: Unwrap the chuck carefully. Dispose of the liquid in the aluminum foil. Cut into bite sized pieces. Note: We made 3/4 inch slices and cubed them from there.

Step Ten: Place in an aluminum pan and pour remaining BBQ sauce on and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Step Eleven: Carefully mix to coat all the pieces. The meat will be very tender.
Step Twelve: Once the BBQ has reached 350°F, place the foil pan on the grill.
Step Thirteen: Cook, with the cover closed for 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Equipment Needed

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Big Green Egg Charcoal Grill
Wireless BBQ Thermometer – The advantage of using a probe in the meat and being able to read the temperature from the outside is that you are not losing heat every time you open the lid.
Cutting board
Aluminum foil

What to Serve with Chuck Roast Burnt Ends

Variations and Substitutions

Use your own homemade spice rub if you wish.
Use homemade BBQ sauce.
Make the rub spicy by adding in cayenne pepper or chili powder.
Use beef brisket instead of chuck roast. It won’t be considered “Poor Man’s Burnt Ends”, but it will still be a yummy burnt ends recipe.
Try Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard to coat your meat.
You can omit the butter if you like when you wrap it.

Storage Instructions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

Leftovers are yummy in a salad, over pasta with a cheese sauce, as an appetizer or even on a slice of white bread.

Can I Freeze?

Yes, you can freeze burnt ends after they’ve been cooked. Simply store them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

What Are Poor Man’s Burnt Ends?

Poor Man’s Burnt Ends are made from chuck roast, a less expensive meat compared to the traditional beef brisket.

Burnt Ends are traditionally made from the point end of a beef brisket. They have a higher fat content so take longer to cook. The longer cooking time gives them their name, Burnt Ends”.

Where Does Chuck Roast Come From?

Chuck roast comes from the shoulder above the ribs and is a tougher kind of meat, but still very flavorful. It’s usually cheaper than other cuts of beef.

Can I Use Wood Chips for Smoking?

Yes, you can use wood chips. I soak mine in water the night before. It adds a nice smoky flavor to the meat.

BBQ Recipes

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5 Comments

padgent amanda says:

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I have a question to ask. could cook you it in a crockpot on low heat thank-you

1. Stacie Vaughan says:
  
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  You can make in the slow cooker on LOW for about 6 hours. It might not be exactly the same but it will still taste good.
  
  1. Lois says:
    
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    I was thinking about doing that and finishing it – doing the last step – on the grill.
    
  2. Brandi says:
    
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    Could you do this in a oven following the same directions
    
    1. Stacie Vaughan says:
      
      at
      
      I haven’t tried it in the oven, but I’ve seen some recipes that give oven directions. They suggest roasting in the oven at 275F for 3 hours. In the last half hour of cooking, add the sauce and raise the temperature to 350F.

Why You’ll Love BBQ Burnt Ends