Burnt Ends: It’s Like Beef Bacon

Several years ago when I first started learning about BBQ, I had no idea what burnt ends were. Was it the stuff that you throw away, because it was no longer edible? Was it lumps of charcoal? To my knowledge, I don’t know of any BBQ restaurants around LA/OC that serves burnt ends (or it’s not advertised on the menu). Eventually I learned about burnt ends from watching television and, of course, on the Internet.

So when I started BBQ smoking, I originally thought burnt ends were strictly the 4 corners of the brisket (hold the laughter, please). I cut the pieces off, started chewing, and thought… this was it? While bursting with smoky flavor, it was terribly dry and chewy. Obviously, there was more to burnt ends, and it was right under my nose. I just had to take the additional steps.

Burnt Ends -- BBQ Beef "Bacon"

So if you’re familiar with the cut of brisket, there are two sections of the brisket — the flat and the point. As I mentioned in a previous post, the flat is what most people know, the larger part that is sliced and served. On the other hand, the point is a section of the brisket that has considerably more fat content, and is usually removed from the flat before serving. Well, what do you do with that point? Chop it up into cubes, season it even more (optional), and throw it back into the smoker or oven for another few hours.

The result is BBQ gold, a “delicacy” if you will, made famous by Kansas City. All that extra fat has been rendered off and will have a good, smoky charred bark on the outside, that’s a bit crispy and crunchy in texture. On the inside, it should be tender and juicy. Then you can dip or slather the burnt ends with your favorite BBQ sauce. Simply delicious. Why is it so good? Well, I think it’s the beef equivalent of bacon. I thought my first time making burnt ends was a mild success. Since I like spicy foods, I mixed in some Siracha sauce to give it a little kick. Burnt ends, I wish I knew ya earlier.

Use Mustard Before Dry Rub?

The other day, I was thinking about something. Why do some people slather a coat of mustard on their meats before applying the dry rub? Is it simply a method of improving the way the dry rub sticks to the meat, or does the mustard itself impart some type of flavor? Why not use something else, like olive oil, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, or heck, how about some maple syrup?

I did some research online, reading forums and articles, and the opinions are widely varied. Some are firm believers of the mustard coat, because it improves the hardening of the bark after such a long period of smoking the meat. The general consensus is that most people use mustard so that the rub adheres to the meat (which I’ve never had a problem with before). Mostly everyone said that you can’t even taste the mustard when the meat is done.

Mustard rubbed 6-lb brisket

Well there’s only one way to settle things, and it’s to see for myself. Many people I’ve seen on television only use mustard for pork butt/shoulder and spare/baby back ribs. Since all I have is a brisket, I decided to use that as my guinea pig (or cow, har har). I just took some plain organic yellow mustard that I had in the fridge and slathered it all over on both sides.

Then, I used a slight variation of my Dirty Smoke dry rub:

- Grounded black pepper (heavy)
- Seasoned salt
- Granulated garlic
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper (very little)
- Cumin (very little)
- White granulated sugar
- Brown sugar

I put the dry rub on the top of the mustard-covered brisket, and honestly couldn’t tell much of a difference if there was no mustard. The seasonings stuck onto the meat just fine. I wrapped it up in foil and it’s in the fridge for now, waiting to be smoked. To be continued…

OC Fair: Deep Fried Paradise, Bad BBQ

There’s always a core group of Orange County, CA residents who love going to the OC Fair when mid-July rolls around, smack dab in the middle of the hot and sweaty summer. This year is no different. Yesterday was opening day, so I decided to check it out since the first hour was free admission. Every year, there’s a different theme and this year, appropriately enough, it’s “Let’s Eat.”

The OC Fair has its fair share of decent attractions and overpriced carnival games, but it is first and foremost a foodie’s paradise — chock full of deep fried concoctions that will make your arteries contract at the mere sight. There’s always something new being introduced, and this year the hot item is Deep Fried Kool-Aid. 5 pc for $6.75. I tried them, and they are actually not bad at all. They taste like kool-aid (or strawberry, cherry, etc) flavored donut holes or mini round cakes, and they aren’t terribly sweet or greasy. It could use a little dipping sauce on the side — Kool-aid glaze or reduction, anyone?

As you might expect, the BBQ scene at the fair is weak. Everything is essentially mass produced on large grills, like from this company, so you’ll find yourself eating soul-less, dry pieces of meat — whether it’s chicken, burgers, or turkey legs. Sure, you can find more traditional BBQ items like pulled pork or brisket sandwiches, but I’ve tried most of them and they are all bland and dry, not to mention expensive. And if you’re searching for legit ribs, fuggedaboutit.

But the OC Fair is all about having a good time, so the majority of people there don’t care whether they’re plunking down their hard earned cash for terrible BBQ. It’s not a BBQ competition, and for these vendors, and it’s all about cranking out as much food as possible while making a hefty profit. One thing’s for sure, it seems like everyone always has a good time at the fair.

My BBQ Taste Buds Need a Break

I don’t know about everyone else, but I think I need a little break from all the recent BBQ madness over the past couple of weeks. July 4th weekend really pumped my gut full of meat, hot dogs, and burgers. I even had to throw some leftover hot link sausages into the freezer, because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat those anytime soon. It’s time to detox, relax, and let the next BBQ cravings come in naturally.

In the meantime, I’ve been perusing the web for any interesting BBQ news. My blog was featured on the LA Times! Well, sort of. Anyone can just submit a photo — but I thought it was cool that the LA Times Food blog added my BBQ brisket sandwich to their photo gallery. Just go to photo #44.

Taking pictures of food has really become an art form. Some people may affectionately call it “food porn,” but it takes a good eye and some camera skill to produce worthy food shots. You can see some of the high quality photos at websites like TasteSpotting, where thousands of people submit photos to be features on the home page. For food bloggers, getting their pictures on the site means heavy traffic. One day, I hope to produce a good enough photo for that site. One day!

Got a Weber grill and a photogenic smile? I follow Weber Grill’s twitter account, and I saw a tweet about submitting photos to be featured on their home page or Facebook account. The page and contest name is called Me and My Weber. Maybe I’ll submit a picture or two.

BBQ Padawan Here, Ready to Learn

Recently, I signed up for Slap Yo Daddy’s BBQ 101 Backyard Pitmaster class. His monthly class is in such high demand, that you have to sign up 2-3 months in advance. I was shooting for the September class, and there were plenty of spots available at the time. But by the time I sent in my registration, it was filled up! So I got bumped to the October class. I can’t wait.

In between winning awards in BBQ competitions all over the place, Mr. Harry Soo has been building his BBQ brand and empire. He recently launched his own Meat Rub, which comes in original, lower sodium, and added MSG. Harry said his runaway best seller by far is the lower sodium version. Of course, after eating tons of BBQ meat, it’ll make you feel just a little less guilty, right?

Not that I’ve interacted with tons of other BBQ or food “celebs” or public figures, but what sets Harry apart is his accessibility and passion. I won’t meet him in person until his BBQ class in October, but just from exchanging emails, reading his website, and his comments, you can just tell he loves sharing his knowledge and recipes (without giving away all his award winning secrets).

Here’s a link to Harry’s Amazon review on the WSM. He gives his tips on how to season a brand new WSM, and his recommendation on NOT using any water in the pan — simply foiling it will give you better and faster bark on the meat. I actually have been experimenting both with and without water, and the only thing with not using water is that until you’ve got it down to a science, you have to carefully watch the temperature so the WSM doesn’t run too hot.