American BBQ & Grill · Free recipe
Kansas City Burnt Ends
Cubes of brisket point double-smoked and glazed until candy-sticky on the outside and buttery soft inside. These melt-in-your-mouth bites are barbecue candy.
Step 1
Pat the brisket point dry and trim any thick, hard fat down to about 1/4 inch. Rub a thin coat of yellow mustard all over.
Step 2
Mix the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then coat every side of the point evenly with the rub. Press it in gently.
Step 3
Set up your smoker for 250 degrees Fahrenheit and wait for a thin blue smoke.
Step 4
Place the point on the grate and smoke undisturbed for 3 hours, then spray with beef broth every hour after that.
Step 5
When the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit, about 6 hours in, remove the point to a cutting board and let it rest 20 minutes.
Step 6
Cut the point into 1-inch cubes. Cutting while slightly rested keeps the cubes from falling apart.
Step 7
Place the cubes in a foil pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar over them, pour on the barbecue sauce, drizzle the honey, and dot with the butter cut into pieces.
Step 8
Gently toss the cubes so each one is coated in the sauce mixture.
Step 9
Return the uncovered pan to the smoker at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 10
Cook for 1 to 1.5 more hours, stirring once halfway, until the sauce thickens and clings to each cube like a sticky glaze.
Step 11
The burnt ends are done when they are dark, shiny, and soft enough to fall apart with light pressure, at an internal temperature around 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 12
Let them cool 5 minutes so the glaze sets, then serve with toothpicks or over a slice of white bread.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Use the fatty point, not the lean flat; the fat is what makes burnt ends tender.
- Do not rush the glazing stage; the stickiness is what makes them great.
