Poor Man's Burnt Ends - only 5-ingredients - Grill or Bake - Delicious. (2024)

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Poor Man’s Burnt Ends are made with just 5 ingredients in your smoker or oven. Serve your chuck roast burnt ends with classic sides like coleslaw or potato salad for a summer BBQ guests will never forget.

Easy Poor Man’s Burnt Ends Recipe

If you’ve ever thought that burnt ends were too difficult to make, think again. These poor man’s burnt ends are about to become your new favorite BBQ dish. All you need is 5 ingredients and a smoker or oven.

If you have a smoker, use it for that classic smoked burnt ends flavor. But if you don’t? Just use the oven instead. No FOMO here – you can delete that smoker from your Amazon cart now.

Either way, you’ll end up with caramelized, crispy burnt ends. Enjoy on some bread with pickles or serve with your favorite sides, like potato salad or mac and cheese.

Why You’ll Love These Chuck Roast Burnt Ends

Here are a few reasons you’ll love this easy beef burnt ends recipe.

• Only 5 ingredients. You’ll need chuck roast, BBQ sauce, and just a few other ingredients. Nothing fancy and all very easy to find!
• Prepare in the smoker or oven. Traditional burnt ends are prepared in the smoker. However, I know that’s not something everyone has, so I’ve included oven instructions as well.
• Incredible flavor. Between the marbled chuck roast, BBQ sauce, and glaze, each burnt end is bursting with flavor.

What Are Burnt Ends?

Poor man’s burnt ends are burnt ends made out of chuck roast, instead of brisket. Traditional burnt ends are made with a whole brisket which is smoked. The top muscle (aka the marbled, fattier part) is removed while the rest of the brisket is sliced and served. Then the top muscle (also called “the point”) is often cubed, topped with BBQ sauce, and cooked to caramelized perfection.

To make poor man’s burnt ends, you swap the brisket for chuck roast. The price of the two meats is similar, so it’s not necessarily cheaper in that aspect. However, you skip the step of needing an entire brisket just to get burnt ends. When making chuck roast burnt ends, the entire roast is cubed and served.

What You’ll Need

This burnt ends recipe requires just 5 ingredients. See the recipe card below for measurements.

• Chuck roast – See notes below.
• Dijon mustard – Adds a bite of a tangy bite to the flavor, while also helping the seasoning adhere to the chuck roast.
• BBQ seasoning – You can use your favorite store-bought seasoning or use the bbq rub recipe in the notes section to make your own.
• BBQ sauce – Homemade barbecue sauce is perfect for this but your favorite store-bought brand will work too.
• Brown sugar – Sweetens the sauce.

What Is The Best Meat to Use?

Poor man’s burnt ends are made with chuck roast. The flavor ends up similar to brisket, without the price tag. For this recipe, you’ll want to choose a chuck roast that’s 2.5 to 3 pounds.

How to Make Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

This chuck roast burnt ends recipe requires minimal preparation and just a few hours in the smoker. Here’s how to make it:

• Season the chuck roast. Brush the roast with Dijon mustard then generously sprinkle with the BBQ seasoning.
• Smoke the meat. Place the chuck roast on the preheated smoker grates. Smoke for 3-4 hours, until the temperature reaches 200F.

• Rest. Remove the roast from the smoker, wrap in foil, and rest for 20 minutes. Cut into bite-sized cubes.
• Make the BBQ glaze. Combine the BBQ sauce and brown sugar. Toss the cubed chuck roast in the mixture.
• Return to the smoker. Return the glaze roast bits to the smoker in a foil aluminum pan. Cook for an hour, until the meat is caramelized with a sticky appearance. Enjoy!

Can I Make Burnt Ends In The Oven?

No smoker? No worries! You can easily make poor man’s burnt ends in the oven! Just follow the directions as above, then bake in the oven at 250F. The cook time remains the same.

What To Serve With Chuck Roast Burnt Ends

Serve your poor man’s burnt ends with any classic BBQ sides. A few of my favorites include coleslaw, , baked beans, cornbread, and potato salad. You can also serve them on white bread or rolls with pickles and onions as an entrée themselves.

How to Store and Reheat Extras

• Fridge. Store leftover chuck roast burnt ends in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Freezer. You can also freeze leftover burnt ends in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheating. Reheat individual servings in the microwave. The oven is great for larger servings as well.

More Easy Beef Recipes

• Honey Bourbon Beef Tips
• Slow Cooker Brisket
• Air Fryer Steak Bites
• Beef Tips and Rice