Burnt Ends Tacos
The crown jewel of Kansas City BBQ in taco form. Succulent brisket point is cubed, caramelized with sweet KC-style sauce, and piled high on warm tortillas. Each bite delivers that legendary bark, smoke, and sticky sweetness that makes burnt ends legendary.
Equipment Needed
Instructions
Prep the brisket point: Trim excess fat from the brisket point, leaving about 1/4-inch fat cap. Combine pepper, salt, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Rub generously all over the meat. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Set up the smoker: Preheat smoker to 250 degrees F using post oak, hickory, or a blend. Kansas City pitmasters often use a mix of woods for complexity.
Smoke the brisket: Place brisket point fat-side up in the smoker. Smoke for 8-10 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195-200 degrees F and the meat probes like butter. Spritz with apple cider vinegar every 2 hours.
Cube the brisket: Remove from smoker and let rest 30 minutes. Cut the brisket point into 1 to 1.5-inch cubes. Keep as much bark as possible on each piece.
Sauce and caramelize: Place cubed brisket in an aluminum pan. Toss with KC BBQ sauce, honey, and butter. Return to smoker at 275 degrees F for 1.5-2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the sauce caramelizes and the edges get sticky.
Make pickled onions: While burnt ends cook, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add sliced red onions and let pickle for at least 1 hour. They'll turn a beautiful pink color.
Warm the tortillas: Heat flour tortillas on a dry comal or skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side. Keep warm wrapped in a towel.
Assemble the tacos: Pile 3-4 burnt end cubes onto each warm tortilla. Top with drained pickled red onions and a drizzle of extra BBQ sauce from the pan.
Serve KC-style: Serve immediately while the burnt ends are still hot and sticky. The pickled onions cut through the richness perfectly. Have plenty of napkins ready!
💡 Pro Tips & Variations
- Use the point: Burnt ends are traditionally made from the brisket point (deckle), not the flat. The point has more fat marbling which creates those incredible caramelized edges.
- KC sauce is key: Kansas City BBQ sauce is tomato-based, sweet, and thick. Gates, Joe's KC, or Bryant's are authentic choices. The sweetness caramelizes during the second smoke.
- Don't rush the caramelization: The second smoke where the cubes get sticky and caramelized is what makes burnt ends special. Give it the full time.
- Buy just the point: Many butchers will sell just the brisket point. It's also called the deckle or second cut.
- Poor man's burnt ends: In a pinch, you can make these with smoked chuck roast cubed and sauced. Not traditional, but still delicious.
- Serve with white bread: In Kansas City, burnt ends are often served with simple white bread. A flour tortilla is a natural upgrade.