Brisket Burnt Ends in the Oven
Introduction
Brisket burnt ends are known as meat candy for good reason: tender cubes of fatty brisket point, caramelised in a sticky, sweet, and smoky barbecue glaze. This oven method gives you that same rich, sticky result without a smoker, by slow roasting the point, then cubing and glazing it until the edges turn dark and lacquered. Perfect for sharing.
Use the fattier brisket point for burnt ends. A good grass fed brisket point has the marbling to stay rich and tender through the long cook.
Ingredients
For 6 servings
- 1.5kgbeef brisket pointfattier part, trimmed to a thin fat cap
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1/4 cupBBQ dry rub
- 1 cupBBQ sauce
- 60mlhoney
- 2 tbspbrown sugar
- 2-3 tbspbuttercubed
- 1 tspliquid smokeoptional
Utensils
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- Wire rack and oven tray
- Baking dish
- Aluminium foil
- Meat thermometer
- Chopping board
Cooking Steps
Season
Preheat the oven to 135°C. Trim the brisket point, leaving a thin layer of fat. Rub all over with oil, then coat generously with the BBQ rub. Sit it on a wire rack over a tray.
Slow roast
Roast for 3 to 4 hours until very tender with a dark bark and an internal 88 to 91°C. Cover with foil after 2 hours if it is drying out.
Rest and cube
Rest the brisket for 20 to 30 minutes, then raise the oven to 175°C. Cut into 3cm cubes and place in a baking dish.
Sauce
Mix the BBQ sauce, honey, brown sugar, melted butter, and optional liquid smoke, pour over the cubes, and toss to coat.
Caramelise
Cover with foil and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, then uncover, stir, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are dark, sticky, and caramelised.
Serve
Rest for 10 minutes, then serve warm.
Nutrition
Per Serving
Recipe serves 6Nutritional values are estimates only and may vary based on specific ingredients, brands, cuts, cooking method, and portion sizes. For medical or dietary purposes, please consult a qualified nutritionist.
Tips and Pairing
People Also Ask
What are brisket burnt ends? +
Burnt ends are cubes of the fatty brisket point, slow cooked until tender, then tossed in a sweet barbecue glaze and caramelised until the edges turn dark and sticky. Often called meat candy, they are rich, smoky, and intensely flavoured, traditionally made from the point left over after slicing a whole brisket.
Can you make burnt ends in the oven? +
Yes. Slow roast the brisket point at 135°C until tender, then cube it, toss it in a sticky glaze, and caramelise it at 175°C. The low oven breaks down the connective tissue like a smoker, and a smoked paprika rub or a little liquid smoke adds the smoky note you would otherwise get from wood.
What cut do you use for burnt ends? +
Use the brisket point, the fattier of the two muscles in a whole brisket. Its marbling keeps the cubes rich and tender through the long cook and the caramelising stage, where leaner cuts would dry out. Ask your butcher for the point specifically if buying separately.
What temperature should brisket point be for burnt ends? +
Cook the point until it is very tender with a dark bark, around 88 to 91°C internal, before cubing it. At that point the collagen has broken down. The cubes then go back in with the glaze to caramelise, so the first cook is about tenderness rather than a precise final temperature.
How do you stop burnt ends burning? +
Watch them closely during the final uncovered stage, since the sugars in the glaze caramelise and can catch quickly. Glaze and caramelise at a moderate 175°C rather than a high heat, stir them to coat evenly, and pull them once the edges are dark and sticky but not blackened.
