Burnt Ends

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scott in kc

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 3, 2006
220
10
South of KC MO
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.
 
Uhmm-Well with me being the son of a Butcher I'd say a nice thick Porterhouse grilled medium rare, please!! :P
 
Scott,
Thanks for the post on burnt ends. I feel like I finally really understand them. I don't think I have ever had them but I've made a not to myself to give them a try next time I'm in KC. I get there occasionally and always enjoy Aurther Bryant's. Oh yes, and Dutch .... there's a lot to be said for a fine Porterhouse about an inch thick, medium rare and a heap of mushrooms on the side .... a nice glass of merlot will round it out. Hmmmmm.....
 
We had lots of great Charolais steaks when I was a kid too, and nothing goes with a great steak like sautee'd mushrooms either.

Bill, if you do an internet yellow pages search for BBQ Resturants here, you get somewhere between 75-100 responses. There's lots to choose from. Bryant's and Gates are among the most recognizeable names, but some of the "little joints" are well worth checking out too. LC's, Oklahoma Joe's, BB's Lawnside Blues and BBQ, Fast Eddy's just to name a few.

The grandbabies (boys 8 months and 20 months) showed up just as dinner was ready so I forgot all about taking pictures, I'll try to remember this weekend when I heat up the leftovers.
 
Scott, I grew up in KC but never had burnt ends until a couple of years ago while visiting family up there. YES, they were gooood. Coincidentally, during that same visit while at my sister's house, the food channel had a special program about KC BBQ and they interviewed the folks at Arthur Bryant's who showed how they make them, so I made some at home.

During that same visit I made a trip to eat at LC's and had the pleasure of meeting LC who was sitting at the table next to us reading the newspaper. A very enjoyable experience overall, but I recommend requesting, sauce on the side, so you can control the amount of sauce on the meat. The meat has a real good flavor even without sauce.

Hree are some pictures from my attempt:

0118.jpg
0119.jpg

0120.jpg
0121.jpg
 
Sauce on the side is the only way to go, although I know this isn't how some places make them. When the point is cooked enough to get rid of the greasy taste, it will border on dry and be best served with some sauce. Here in KC, most Q joints will have both a sweet smoky sauce and a spicy KC style sauce with the tell tale black pepper and ground celery seeds. I personally like some of each, last night I had Famous Dave's Sweet and Zesty with Fiorella's KC Spicy.
I think I know what I'm having for lunch!!
 
I'm not able to chime in much here, got family issues to deal with lately, but Scott in KC is a bona fide smoker and knows his chit.

This farker temps me mid day with emails on his burnt end snadwich cooks in the middle of the week.

Great info Scott.

And Great pics Bob.

I'm hungry now
 
Scott,

Nice topic and discussion on "Burnt Ends"! Good pix as well, Brother Bob!

For me, Sauce On The Side, is the only way I serve my 'Q! However, sometimes an overly dried end will require it.

Jeff
 
I was thinking of burnt ends and went through the beef section browsing, when I came across this post.

Scott isn't with us anymore, but his words live on and occasionally deserve a good bump. I'm sure the Q got a few notches better when he showed up.

Bumped for posterity and the betterment of burnt ends for everyone.
 
Real burnt ends are a rarity any more, too much demand and not enough ends. Some places make their burnt ends from chuck roast, smoked, cubed, then resmoked. I like them.
Ultramag has been known to turn out some good lookin' ones.
 
I am doing a brisket on Friday for the 4th, and will try to do some burnt ends and get some Qview here...

Mike, we are just north of you a bit...you guys have big plans down in Peculiar? Our subdivision sits just north of the Raymore park (up old school road), so we get a great view of the Raymore display...

Thanks,
 
Scott was right " We had lots of great Charolais steaks when I was a kid too"

We have Angus/Hereford cows here that we raise and sell for te public. Our family rarely eat the Angus/Hereford cows. We have a few Charolais and that is what we eat. In our opinion the flavor of Charolais is by far better than the ANgus/Hereford varities. Used to be prior to the 1980's a lot of meat sold by butchers in small shops and supermarkets were Charolais, but the market changed to "lean meat" and now its mostly flooded by Angus based meat. Lean means less flavor because their is less fat.

Take a Porterhouse steak from a Charolais and one from an Angus and any true steak lover will choose that Charolais steak over the Angus steak anyday.
 
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