"My father has always been a grill enthusiast and loved to travel to different states that are known for barbecue to taste the different styles and methods of grilling and smoking. He fell in love with Kansas City barbecue, particularly the iconic brisket burnt ends. These crispy, flavorful, and succulent morsels had a character of their own, unlike anything he had tasted before. Since then, he’s perfected his recipe for Kansas City-Style burnt ends that continue to captivate the taste buds of those who try them, including me. This recipe has been handed down to me from my dad. It’s a true labor of love that can take up to 12 hours and it’s worth every one."
One 4–6-pound brisket point
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 cup beef broth, for spritz
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into small pats
Kansas City-Style Dry Rub:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon your favorite bourbon (optional)
- Preheat smoker to 250ºF. Transfer the beef broth to a spray bottle.
- If you have a whole packer brisket, separate the point from the flat by running a sharp knife through the hard, white fat between the two muscles. Trim any hard fat, tough pieces, remove any silver skin, and trim the top fat cap down to about ¼-inch thick.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the Kansas City-Style Dry Rub ingredients.
- Slather the brisket with the yellow mustard on both sides and season the brisket liberally on both sides.
- Place the brisket point on the top shelf in the grill and smoke the brisket point for about 6–8 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, spritzing with beef broth after 3 hours, or when there are dry spots on the meat, and then every hour or as needed. Note: Avoid spritzing too frequently, as this will add too much moisture on top of the meat and the desired bark will not form.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce. In a large saucepan, combine the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and bourbon. Simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let it cool and store in an airtight container or mason jar until you’re ready to use it.
- Once the brisket point reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, double wrap it tightly in pink butcher paper and return it to the grill. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 190–195ºF, about 2–3 more hours.
- Remove the brisket point from the grill and unwrap it from the butcher paper, draining any liquid from the paper into an aluminum pan. Cut the brisket point into 1½-inch- thick cubes.
- Place the cubes into the aluminum pan and toss with the Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce and honey, then top with the pats of butter.
- Place the uncovered pan on the grill and smoke for 1–2 more hours, or until the burnt ends have absorbed the barbecue sauce and the sauce has thickened. The sauce should be sticky to the touch. Remove the pan from the grill and allow it to cool for about 0–15 minutes before serving.