Growing up here in the KC area, going out to eat Q meant Burnt Ends. To a non cook, these are succulent smoky cubes of beef, ham or pork and are called burnt ends, tips or brownies on most menus. When Dad took us out for Q, this is what we got, it will alway be to me what Q is all about.
Being ahem years older now a bit more educated in the history of KC Q, a true burnt end is technically brisket, specifically brisket point. At Oklahoma Joes, home of some of the finest ends in KC, they prepare them the traditional way. Whole packer briskets are cooked until the flats are properly done for slicing. The points are removed, and have any exsisting bark, and surface fat sliced off. The point is then re-rubbed and put back in the pit until all the excess collagen and fat in the point is cooked off and then it is cubed and served with the usual complement of fries and coleslaw.
Other places cube the point when the flat is done then put the cubes back on the pit in pans, other places will serve any beef cubed and call it burnt ends. All these variations are ok, but not as good as extra smokey point.
I cooked for a Christmas party at my place of work, and decided to save on the mess and hassle to cook flats only for beef. Flats here are over twice the price of packers, so I just bought packers and cut the flats off myself and tossed the points in the freezer.
I thawed 2 of the points yesterday and have them in the FE now. A blend of hickory and cherry and beef is wafting gently from the exhaust of the cooker and I'm really looking forward to dinner. Although these won't be done in the traditional double smoked manner, they're still quite good and my favortie Q. What would you expect from the son of a ranch foreman?
If they get done on time, I'll try to take some pics of these cubes of heaven before they're all gone.
Being ahem years older now a bit more educated in the history of KC Q, a true burnt end is technically brisket, specifically brisket point. At Oklahoma Joes, home of some of the finest ends in KC, they prepare them the traditional way. Whole packer briskets are cooked until the flats are properly done for slicing. The points are removed, and have any exsisting bark, and surface fat sliced off. The point is then re-rubbed and put back in the pit until all the excess collagen and fat in the point is cooked off and then it is cubed and served with the usual complement of fries and coleslaw.
Other places cube the point when the flat is done then put the cubes back on the pit in pans, other places will serve any beef cubed and call it burnt ends. All these variations are ok, but not as good as extra smokey point.
I cooked for a Christmas party at my place of work, and decided to save on the mess and hassle to cook flats only for beef. Flats here are over twice the price of packers, so I just bought packers and cut the flats off myself and tossed the points in the freezer.
I thawed 2 of the points yesterday and have them in the FE now. A blend of hickory and cherry and beef is wafting gently from the exhaust of the cooker and I'm really looking forward to dinner. Although these won't be done in the traditional double smoked manner, they're still quite good and my favortie Q. What would you expect from the son of a ranch foreman?
If they get done on time, I'll try to take some pics of these cubes of heaven before they're all gone.
