When I spotted these Kirkland Signature Burnt Ends at Costco in Maui, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to try them. My previous experiences with grocery store burnt ends hadn’t been great, the Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ Burnt Ends from Costco were disappointing, and the Mission Hill Bistro Burnt Ends weren’t much better. Despite my hesitation, I decided to give these a try and am happy to report that they’re the best grocery store burnt ends I’ve had so far! Find out what I liked about them by reading the review below.
Location in Store
I found these in the refrigerated deli section in Maui, where the meats and cheese are. They were near the Amylu Chicken Meatballs and the Sabatino’s Paleo Chicken Sausage. The item number is 31300.
Taste
The overall flavor and texture of the Kirkland Signature Burnt Ends are similar to beef ribs. They’re definitely fatty, some pieces are fattier than others, while some are almost pure beef brisket. The texture is nice and tender, and there isn’t much gristle, just plenty of meat and fat.
The burnt ends are great on their own, or you can dip them in your favorite barbecue sauce. They have a really nice smoky flavor and aren’t overly salty. Four of us tried them, and we all thought they were really enjoyable.
Cost
These aren’t cheap. The box contains one vacuum-sealed package of burnt ends, and I paid $23.31 USD for the amount shown in the pan and on the plate. The cost depends on the weight of the beef in the box, and the price is $14.69 per pound; my pack weighed 1.58 pounds. Beef is expensive these days in both the USA and Canada, which is probably why the price is so high.
Convenience
There are several different cooking methods listed on the box. You can microwave the burnt ends, heat them in a pan on the stove, or warm them by boiling the sealed bag in water. I chose to heat the burnt ends in a pan. Since they’re already fully cooked, you’re essentially just warming them up.
The use-by or freeze-by date is about three weeks from when I purchased the burnt ends. You can serve these as an appetizer, or they would definitely work as a main dish as well. If you’re having them as a main, I recommend serving them with baked potatoes and Caesar salad.
Nutrition
Calories
A three-ounce (84-gram) serving contains 200 calories, 14 grams of fat, 450 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fibre, 3 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein. I’m surprised there isn’t more protein for that amount of calories and fat!
Ingredients
The ingredients list is fairly short and simple, with mostly whole ingredients. The only ingredients I don’t love seeing are soybean oil and dextrose (sugar). I do appreciate that they use maple syrup as a sweetener. The burnt ends are dairy- and gluten-free.
Scoring
Taste: 8.5/10
Cost: 6/10
Convenience: 8/10
Nutrition: 5/10
Overall
Give it a try!
These are definitely the best packaged burnt ends I’ve tried. There was plenty of meat, very little fat, and the flavor was really nice.
The cost is $14.69 per pound and depends on how heavy your pack is.
Yes they are!
No, not like other burnt ends I’ve tried. There’s a lot of good quality meat in these.
Have you tried the Costco Kirkland Signature Burnt Ends? What did you think of them?
Please note that this review was not paid for or sponsored by any third party. This product was purchased by Costcuisine for the purpose of producing this review. The opinions in this review are strictly those of Costcuisine. Costcuisine is not affiliated with Costco or any of its suppliers. In the event that Costcuisine receives compensation for a post from the manufacturer of a product or some other third party, the arrangement will be clearly disclosed (including where the manufacturer of a product provides Costcuisine with a free sample of the product).
