Tried burnt ends for the first time on my kettle, came out like jerky

So last Saturday I finally attempted beef burnt ends on my 22 inch Weber kettle using a chuck roll from Costco, about 5 pounds. I followed a recipe that said to cube the meat after 3 hours of smoke, then toss in sauce and butter. Problem was I let the internal temp climb to 210 before cubing, thinking more fat render equals more tender. Yeah, no, they turned out chewy and dry on the outside, almost like meat snacks you'd buy at a gas station. I think the real mistake was cubing too big, like 2 inch chunks, and then cranking the kettle too hot during the sauce stage, probably near 350 for 45 minutes. My other buddy swears by cubing raw and smoking them as individual bites from the start. Has anyone else had a similar fail with chuck burnt ends, or should I just save up for a real brisket point next time instead? We got some decent pull apart pieces near the center, but the bark was tough and not that sweet sticky feel. I'd love to hear what temp and timing works for folks who've nailed this on a basic setup.

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reesemiller15d ago

Cube smaller, 1 inch, and keep grate temp under 275.

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