- June 23, 2023
- Appetizers
Smoked Sausage Burnt Ends
Experience the irresistible flavors of Smoked Sausage Burnt Ends with this mouthwatering recipe. Tender and juicy smoked sausage chunks are generously coated in a sweet and tangy barbecue glaze, slow-cooked to achieve a crispy caramelized exterior. These bite-sized treats are a must for barbecue enthusiasts, offering a delightful combination of smoky, savory, and slightly charred deliciousness.
Why This Recipe Works:
Simple & Delicious: Smoked sausage burnt ends are extremely simple to make, using only a few ingredients and a few simple steps that result in a delicious BBQ-smothered smoked sausage! You will cook these low and slow in the smoker to infuse as much flavor as possible, and truly, the smoker will do all the heavy lifting for you! With just a little patience, these smoked sausage bites will turn out tender and juicy with a slight char.
Budget-Friendly: Burnt End Flavor: Normally, burnt ends are made from beef brisket, which is absolutely delicious but not very cheap. These smoked sausage burnt ends offer all of the deliciousness of traditional burnt ends but for a pocket-friendly price!
Party Favorite: These are perfect to bring to BBQ get-togethers, special occasions, or game-day parties. It’s easy to share and for snacking. You can also try a variation to these bacon wrapped sausages too for something fun!
What are smoked sausage burnt ends?
Traditional burnt ends are made from the point end of beef brisket, and while I love smoking whole beef brisket or even making chuck roast burnt ends, these smoked sausage burnt ends are so much easier to make and still so yummy! They are a fun way to make a flavor-packed appetizer using your smoker, and they are customizable to use your own favorite BBQ sauces and rubs.
Supplies Needed:
- Smoker
- Aluminum or Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients:
- Smoked Sausage: You can use any of your favorite smoked sausages!
- Mustard: Mustard is the binder used to adhere the dry rub to the sausages. Use your favorite kind!
- BBQ Dry Rub: You can use your own favorite BBQ dry rub, or dry my homemade all-purpose BBQ rub.
- Butter: A bit of butter browns up beautifully in the smoker and adds a depth of flavor to the sauce!
- Brown Sugar or Honey: A sprinkle of brown sugar balances out the tangy and smoky flavors here. You can substitute brown sugar with honey if needed!
- BBQ Sauce: Feel free to use your favorite homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce! My own personal favorite is my smoky BBQ sauce.
How To Make Smoked Sausage Burnt Ends?
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat the smoker to 250 F and set it to indirect heat. Prep the smoked sausage links by slicing into the sausage link every 1-1.5 inches without cutting all the way through the link. This exposes more sausage to the smoke and adds more flavor and texture to the burnt end!
- If you want to get a fun accordion effect, you need to slice one side of the sausage on an angle every 1/2 inch or so but not cut all the way through. Flip it over and cut in 1/2 inch verticle slices, still not slicing all the way through. This just gives a fun visual effect and can get more parts of the sausage crispy and coated with sauce.
- Season: Once the smoked sausage is sliced, coat it entirely in a thin mustard binder, including into the sliced spaces. Then cover in a thin layer of the BBQ dry rub.
- Smoke: Place the smoked sausage onto the smoker and let it smoke for 1.5-2 hours. The sausage should be heated through, lightly brown, and slightly plumped up.
- Remove & Slice: Remove the smoked sausage from the grill grates and slice into the burnt end pieces using the precut grooves.
- Coat in Sauce: Place the pieces into an aluminum foil or cast iron pan. Coat them in enough BBQ sauce that they are fully covered, add the butter over the top, and sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Smoke & Serve: Place the pan back onto the smoker for 30-45 minutes, stirring a few times as needed so that they caramelize and are evenly coated in the mixture. When they are set up and the sauce is tacky and shiny, remove from the grill and serve as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Burnt ends are traditionally the crispy point end of a BBQ beef brisket. They are treasured for their crispy outside and tender inside and have a smoky, savory barbecue flavor that is to die for! This recipe takes the idea of burnt ends and makes it into smoked sausage bites that are absolutely loaded with flavor.
Store any leftover burnt ends in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days! To reheat, simply pop them in the microwave.
More Recipes To Try:
- Smoked Cornbread Recipe
- Brats & Tots Nachos
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Pork Belly
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings
Smoked Sausage Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Smoked Sausage
- 2 tbsp. Mustard
- BBQ Dry Rub as needed
- 4 tbsp. Butter
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar or honey
- BBQ Sauce as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250 F. and set it for indirect heat.
- Prep the smoked sausage links by slicing in to the sausage link every 1-1.5 inches without cutting all the way through the link. This exposes more of the sausage to the smoke and adds more flavor and texture to the burnt end.
- Once the smoked sausage is sliced, coat it entirely in a thin mustard binder, including in to the sliced spaces. Then cover in a thin layer of the BBQ dry rub.
- Place the smoked sausage onto the smoker and let it smoke for 1.5-2 hours. The sausage should be heated through, lightly brown, and slightly plumped up.
- Remove the smoked sausage from the grill grates and slice into the burnt end pieces using the precut grooves.
- Place them into an aluminum foil or cast iron pan. Coat them in enough BBQ sauce that they are fully covered, add the butter over the top and sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Place the pan back onto the smoker for 30-45 minutes, stirring a few times as needed so they caramelize and are evenly coated in the mixture. When they are set up and the sauce is tacky and shiny, remove from the grill and serve as desired.
What modifications would you recommend if your smoker died???
Hi Barb,
I am sorry to hear your smoker isn’t working! You can do this in you oven as well. Just follow the same times and temperatures to get the same texture. Enjoy.