American
Kansas City Burnt Ends
Caramelized brisket cubes in sweet KC sauce — the best single bite in American BBQ.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
Burnt ends began as the pitmaster's reward at Kansas City BBQ joints — the flavorful, slightly crusty pieces trimmed from the point of the brisket while the flat was sliced. When restaurateurs noticed customers fighting over them, they became a menu item.
The brisket point is the fattier, deckle end of the full packer. If you can only find the flat, the result is still wonderful, just leaner.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the brisket & rub
- 5–6 lb brisket point (or full packer brisket, point separated)
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne
For the KC glaze
- 1½ cups KC-style BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
- 1
PREP: Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne. Coat the brisket point generously on all sides and refrigerate uncovered overnight — the dry brine improves bark formation dramatically.
- 2
SMOKE: Set up smoker or kettle grill for indirect heat at 225°F with hickory or oak. Place brisket fat-side up and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5–6 hours, spritzing with apple juice or water every 90 minutes after the first 2 hours.
- 3
WRAP: Wrap tightly in two layers of butcher paper (or foil). Return to the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 200°F, another 3–4 hours. Rest wrapped at least 1 hour.
- 4
MAKE BURNT ENDS: Cut brisket into 1½-inch cubes and place in a single layer in a foil pan. Heat the glaze ingredients in a saucepan until smooth, pour over the cubes and toss to coat.
- 5
Return the uncovered pan to the smoker (or a 300°F oven) for 1–1½ hours, tossing every 30 minutes, until the sauce is caramelized, sticky and deeply lacquered. The edges should be slightly charred — those charred bits are the entire point.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: Patience is the only secret ingredient in brisket. A brisket that seems done at 190°F is not done. It is done when a probe slides into the thickest part with zero resistance — usually between 200–205°F.
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