The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word BRAZE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
R
A
Z
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "let out of jail earl" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case let out of jail earl = braze.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BRAZE mean?
BRAZE noun- A kind of small charcoal used for roasting ore.
- To join two metal pieces, without melting them, using heat and diffusion of a jointing alloy of capillary thickness.
- To burn or temper in fire.