Burnt Ends with Bourbon Sauce
The crispy, caramelized "burnt" pieces of a smoked brisket are often the best part because the flavor is concentrated and the texture is pleasingly chewy. This recipe creates an entire baking tray of crispy pieces, so there are plenty to go around. Chef Matt Horn likes to serve these with slices of white bread; he shared his step-by-step process for making Burnt Ends with us, from seasoning the brisket to caramelizing the sauce on the cubed meat. If you spend a lot of time barbecuing, you will try out literally hundreds of rubs, not to mention cooking sauces, table sauces, mops, binders, and pastes. Eventually, you will settle on an all-purpose rub that adds loads of flavor to just about anything you put in the smoker. Horn Rub is chef Matt Horn's go-to rub; he keeps it close at hand at all time, and uses it to generously season these savory burnt ends. Instead of vinegar, Horn's thick, sticky Bourbon Sauce gets its kick from its namesake: bourbon. For a classic sauce with Kentucky roots, use dark molasses in place of the honey. This recipe works well with any type of barbecue, and Horn loves it in baked beans, too.
Smoked Brisket
This smoked brisket is self-taught barbecue expert Matt Horn's signature recipe — the star of the menu at his restaurant, Horn Barbecue, in Oakland, California. The 2021 Food & Wine Best New Chef spent weeks perfecting this recipe, and says time is the most important ingredient in this dish. You need to be patient while the meat's internal temperature rises to 203°F (95°C), but it's worth it when your smoked masterpiece is ready.
Serious Barbecuers Say This Gadget Is the Key to Perfectly Cooked Meat, Every Time
The reviews speak for themselves.
Spiced Sweet-and-Sour Ribs
Rubbed with toasted ground spices then lacquered with a sweet and tangy glaze of maple syrup and a duo of vinegars, these meaty ribs have a deep flavor and an irresistibly crackly crust. To work ahead, you can roast the ribs the day before then glaze and broil them just before serving. Trimming the meat away from one end of each rib lets the meat pull away during cooking, creating handles that make for mess-free nibbling.
BBQ Menu Ideas
There's nothing more delicious than a barbecued meal. Here, we highlight a phenomenal barbecue shrimp bagna cauda with crudités, a special potato salad, chicken drumsticks with BBQ sauce and more.
Brisket-and-Mushroom Stew with Cheddar-Jalapeño Biscuits
The beef for this simple stew marinates in red wine, garlic, sage and rosemary to help make it tender. Served with a dollop of cream, it’s an extremely luscious dish. Slideshow: More Beef Stew Recipes
