Cooking with Fire Episode 1: Kansas City Burnt Ends

Josh Cary and Chef Tom Jackson have cooked up a new seasonal bi-weekly podcast in conjunction with KMUW. This podcast covers the history of Kansas City Burnt Ends and includes a recipe for a classic version of the dish.

Kansas City Burnt Ends

Ingredients

• brisket point
• mustard

For the Rub:

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 tbsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp cayenne

For the Sauce:

• 2 1/4 cups ketchup
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp celery seeds
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Trim all excess fat from the outside of the point. Butterfly the thick end of the point to make all the meat about the same thickness. Rub the surface of the meat with a small amount of mustard. Cover the surface of the meat with the rub.

Preheat your smoker to roughly 250°F. Transfer the meat to the smoker. Smoke until you reach your desired color. You’re looking for a dark mahogany color. This can take 4-5 hours, depending on your cooker. The internal temperature of the meat may range from 150°F-170°F. These are rough guidelines. This part of the cook is about achieving a desired color.

Remove the meat from the cooker and place on top of two large pieces of foil. Wrap the meat tightly with the foil, then again with the second sheet of foil. Return to the cooker.

Continue cooking until the meat offers little resistance when probed with an instant read thermometer. It should be like probing room temperature butter. You are cooking to a feel, not a temperature, but most of the time the temperature is between 200°F-210°F when the meat is finished. It will likely be 1-2 hours after wrapping. At this point you’ll want to rest the meat, loosely wrapped in foil in a cooler or cambro for 30 minutes.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, whisking to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, as necessary. Slice the point into 1” cubes. Toss the cubes in the sauce in a foil pan. Place the foil pan in the cooker for 20 minutes to allow the sauce to set up.