Burnt ends are the cubed, sauced point end of a smoked brisket, and Kansas City claims them as its own. They started as the crusty trimmings KC barbecue joints handed out at the counter, and they're built to eat standing up: sticky bark, rendered fat, one bite on a toothpick. At Arrowhead, tailgating stops once the game starts, so the long smoke happens in your backyard and the lot only has to glaze. Lots and times are in our Chiefs tailgating guide.
At the lot: The grill only has to glaze the cubes in a foil pan until they turn tacky and the crowd drifts over. Homegating: Smoke the point in the backyard on game morning, cube it at halftime of the early game and glaze it in the oven or on the grill for kickoff.
10 HRS
Mostly hands-off, at home
30 MIN
At the lot
10–12
Serves
Ingredients
The meat
- 1 brisket point (5–6 lb), or a whole packer brisket with the point separated
The rub
- 2 tbsp coarse salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
The finish (at the lot)
- 1 cup Kansas City-style barbecue sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter, cut in pieces
- 1 disposable half-size foil pan
Steps
At home
- The day before (or that morning), trim the point's fat cap to about ¼ inch and coat it all over with the rub.
- Smoke at 250–275°F until the bark is set and the meat probes tender at about 195–200°F, roughly 8–9 hours.
- Rest it 30 minutes, then cut it into 1½-inch cubes.
- Put the cubes in the foil pan, cover tightly, and pack it in a cooler with ice for the drive. Pack the sauce, sugar and butter separately.
At the lot
- Heat the grill to medium (about 300–350°F, two-zone on charcoal).
- Toss the cubes with the sauce and brown sugar, and dot with butter.
- Set the uncovered pan over indirect heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring once, until the sauce bubbles and turns sticky and the center cubes read 165°F.
- Serve straight from the pan with toothpicks or slider buns. Eat within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Pack for the lot
Can you make burnt ends the day before?
Yes. Smoke and cube the point the day before, chill it covered, and keep it on ice for the drive. At the lot, sauce and glaze the cubes until they're hot through: reheated food should reach 165°F (USDA safe temperature chart).
Point or flat for burnt ends?
The point. It's the fattier half of the brisket, and that fat is what renders into the soft, rich cubes. The leaner flat dries out when you cube and re-cook it, so slice the flat for sandwiches instead.
How do you keep burnt ends hot at a tailgate?
Once they're glazed, cover the pan and slide it to the cool side of the grill. More ways: how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
More game-day food: what to cook at a tailgate.
More mainsMore from the Chiefs guide
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