Burnt Ends Done Right at Winter’s Barbecue in Virginia Beach

“Good beef. Nice rub. Good smoke. Very rich.” That’s Guy Fieri breaking down the burnt ends at Winter’s Barbecue in Virginia Beach, Virginia—a spot about 10 miles south of the Chesapeake Bay and 10 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. Guy had been through the area before for seafood and homemade ice cream cones, but when he heard about a dude knocking out burnt ends, North Carolina pulled pork, and smoked turkey, he had to check it out.

The Winter’s Barbecue Rub

The foundation of everything at Winter’s Barbecue starts with their signature rub. Guy got a front-row seat to the process: paprika, chili powder, brown sugar, pepper, ground celery, salt, ground mustard, cayenne, and granulated garlic all get mixed together. For the brisket specifically, they layer on barbecue rub, a lot of salt, brown sugar, and black pepper, making sure to coat the meat all the way around so the seasoning works its way down into every crevice.

Then comes the low and slow treatment—200 degrees for 12 hours. When Guy heard that timeline, all he could say was “this should be interesting.”

That Sweet Sauce with a Tang

The sauce at Winter’s Barbecue is a production in itself. It starts with white vinegar and cider vinegar for that essential tang—or as Guy put it when the cider vinegar went in, “got to get that tang, wu-tang.” The base includes chili powder, pepper, ground mustard, granulated garlic, onion powder, the Winter’s Barbecue rub, ground celery, salt, and brown sugar.

But here’s where it gets interesting: pineapple juice goes in as a natural sweetener, followed by more pineapple juice and more cider vinegar. Then comes a full gallon of mustard, hot sauce, tomato paste, chipotle sauce, and water. Guy called the final product “barbecue sauce over in Flavor Town.” The whole mixture simmers until everything dissolves.

The Burnt Ends Process

After the brisket comes out of the smoker, the fat gets trimmed off—on burnt ends, you really don’t want that extra fat in there. The meat gets sliced into cubes, hit with that sauce, covered with foil, and thrown back in the oven at 350 degrees for a good 45 minutes. The result? Cubes that have absorbed all that sauce, sporting a big smoke ring.

Guy’s verdict covered all the bases: the sauce had “a little sweet, little heat, a lot of vinegar” with worcestershire coming through on the back end. If you’re a fan of barbecue spots like the ones serving up and Hunter Fieri Eat the Boss Hawg Sandw, Winter’s Barbecue deserves a spot on your radar.

Tips from the Winter’s Barbecue Kitchen

Season all the way around: Don’t just hit the top of your brisket. Make sure the rub gets a good coat on every surface so it can work its way down into the meat.

Trim the fat for burnt ends: Unlike a regular brisket slice, burnt ends benefit from having that extra fat removed before cubing and saucing.

Let the sauce absorb: That 45-minute return to the oven at 350 under foil is what transforms cubed brisket into proper burnt ends—the meat drinks up all that sauce.

For more Triple D destinations featuring standout smoked meats and creative sandwiches—from spots serving Turkey Meatballs with Fire-Roasted Green to places flipping Pittsburgh Pancakes 🥞—check out our restaurant directory to plan your next Flavor Town road trip.