Burnt Ends Are Nearly Impossible To Not Drool Over, Even At Costco

Burnt ends are many barbecue enthusiasts' favorite bite of food — and for good reason! They're juicy nuggets of brisket meat derived from what's known as the "point," a subsection of the whole brisket laced with tons of fat that bastes itself while cooking. These are great on their own, but when you take those pieces, combine them with other leftover bits from the brisket carving, and smother it all in sauce, you achieve barbecue nirvana.

As a Reddit post on r/Costco reveals, the warehouse store is offering a version of this barbecue staple to its customers in the form of Mission Hill Bistro Smoked Beef Brisket Burnt Ends — pre-cooked burnt ends in sauce that can be heated up and enjoyed in minutes. And while brisket enthusiasts in the comments might be quick to point out that they don't exclusively use the same meat as real burnt ends, or that the sauce isn't the exact level of tanginess that it should be, it's still an extremely accessible pre-made option to keep on hand in the freezer should a brisket craving ever arise. For many Costco shoppers across the country, finding authentically prepared burnt ends is out of the question, so these seem like a solid way to get that flavor experience.

According to Mission Hill Bistro's instructions, the best way to prepare these burnt ends is in the microwave. Dave Chang might also agree with the microwave method, but burnt ends deserve better! When you're in the mood for this Costco treat but you still want to save time, fire up the old air fryer and give your barbecue the heat treatment it needs to let the natural fat sizzle. Cooking them in the air fryer (or convection oven, if you don't have an air fryer) has the added benefit of helping to render some fat out of the meat, which you can drain off for a leaner meal.

If you find that you're not a big fan of the included sauce, you can give these burnt ends a boost by adding your favorite alternative instead. There are a lot of great barbecue sauce options out there, and you could also try making some at home. One important thing to note is that this product is charged by the pound, and that includes the weight of the barbecue sauce. So, if you're okay with taking a slight loss, you should definitely use the sauce you prefer to make this Costco barbecue item that much more special. No matter what sauce you use, though, just be sure you have a few slices of white bread on hand to mop up all the smoky, tangy leftovers on your plate.