If you go to The Big E, there’s no shortage of barbecue items to buy, grab and devour.
Off to the far left side of the Food Court’s exterior is The Ultimate BBQ, a small stand that offers a short but tempting selection of barbecued meat and macaroni and cheese.
But there’s one item The Ultimate BBQ sells that could be divisive but should rest as a new standard for barbecue: chocolate-covered burnt ends.
Traditional fans of the cubed, smoky meat — which is usually on the pricier side in most restaurants — might ask, “Why sully such a sacred dish with melted, molten mouth-watering chocolate?”
With chocolate, the item is $10, $2 less without. You’re handed a small styrofoam bowl with the contents steaming inside. Fork at the ready, you immediately notice the explosion of sweet and spicy bombarding your taste buds.
At first, there was a dryness that initially hurt my grade. But between the fatty parts and the blend of grease and spice-spiked melted chocolate, concern over the burnt ends being dry slips away and becomes a non-factor.
Cutting off and discarding the fat leaves you with less to eat, which for the price can feel like a letdown. But the buttery goodness adds a diversity in texture and yet another player in the unwinnable battle over what’s the supreme flavor.
The pieces are chunky but for a big mouth such as this reviewer, you won’t need a knife to pop each piece in your mouth.
Midway through eating the burnt ends and you start to wonder, “How have I gone far in life without this?” Ah, but for anyone with doubts, one sauce immediately comes to mind: mole.
Being reminded of the (usually) spicy Mexican sauce that uses chiles and chocolate, among other ingredients, warms the heart and the stomach. It’s a staple used for roasted chicken, enchiladas, burritos and more. For many people, it’s a sauce that moves the heart and shows how sweet and savory can embrace and electrify a dish for lunch or dinner.
By the time this revelation hits you, you find yourself licking the bowl after you have devoured each treasured, sweet and spicy burnt end. The theme park ride is over and you want to go again.
These burnt ends are an easy 10 out of 10. Is it a dessert or a snack? Is there an answer? Does it matter? Don’t think about it, simply go for it.
