So what are Burnt Ends? They are trimmings from a smoked brisket. A beef brisket is a strange shaped cut of meat and when smoked the edges tend to dry out and get very smoky in flavor. These parts are trimmed off and instead of being discarded are served up in everything from sandwiches to barbecue beans and gumbo. They have an intense smoke flavor and though generally on the tough and chewy side are very popular with the barbecue crowd. Try fixing up a pile with your favorite BBQ sauce. Many people call burnt ends BBQ candy.