Burnt Ends Chili for the Crew

Smoky brisket ends folded into hearty bean chili

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 150 min
• Serves 8
• Difficulty: medium

Chopped burnt ends enrich a tomato-bean chili that simmers in a Dutch oven on the smoker.

Why crews like it: It turns barbecue leftovers into a complete meal and improves while held hot.

Ingredients

• 4 lb burnt ends
• 5 cans kidney beans
• 5 cans crushed tomatoes
• 2.4 each onions
• 4.8 cups beef broth
• 3/8 cup chili powder

Instructions

1. Heat smoker: Preheat smoker to 275°F and make sure its water pan and fuel are ready for a long cook.
2. Dice burnt ends: Cut burnt ends into spoon-size pieces, trimming only hard fat that will not melt.
3. Sauté aromatics: Sauté onion and peppers in a Dutch oven until softened, scraping up any browned bits.
4. Bloom spices: Stir chili powder and cumin for 30 seconds so the spices smell fragrant but do not burn.
5. Build chili: Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and burnt ends, stirring until the pot is evenly mixed.
6. Smoke uncovered: Place the Dutch oven in the smoker uncovered for 45 minutes to pick up smoke.
7. Simmer covered: Cover and smoke another hour, stirring once so the bottom does not catch.
8. Check heat: Bring the chili to 165°F, especially if the burnt ends were refrigerated.
9. Hold chili: Keep the covered pot above 140°F; add hot broth if it thickens too much.
10. Ladle bowls: Serve thick chili with cheese, onions, and cornbread rather than thinning it at the table.
11. Hold for call interruptions: If tones drop mid-cook: turn off direct heat and cover Burnt ends — hold at 140°F in a warm cabinet or 200°F oven, never below 140°F for more than 30 minutes cumulative. Log hold time on the pan with a grease pencil. If tones drop after service, cover hot food and keep sides on low heat or ice as appropriate. On return, spot-check proteins at safe internal temp before reopening the line.
12. Pack down leftovers safely: Cool Burnt ends and hot components in a shallow baking dish within two hours — food left out too long isn't safe to eat. Label with date; reheat proteins to 165°F minimum before second shift. Store cold components separately so textures survive overnight.

Tonight's spread

• Main: Smoked burnt ends chili
• Sides: cornbread, slaw
• Condiments: cheddar, green onions, hot sauce
• Set hot components closest to the crew; cold crunch and toppings at the far end of the line.
• Keep a backup tray at 200°F for firefighters returning from a run.

Hall tips

• Use any smoked brisket if burnt ends are unavailable.
• Smoke can become bitter if the pot stays uncovered too long.
• Offer hot sauce separately.

Substitutions

• Use smoked chuck roast for burnt ends.
• Use black beans for kidney beans.

Meal prep

Make-ahead: chop burnt ends and chili vegetables 1 day ahead. Storage: refrigerate 3 days. Reheating: bring chili to 165°F.

Leftovers

• Cool Burnt ends in shallow pans within two hours; label with date and reheat to 165°F before second shift.
• Store cold sides separately — hot and cold stacked overnight ruins texture.
• Spoon leftovers over baked potatoes.

• smoker
• Dutch oven
• ladle
• thermometer

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