Costco's Kirkland Brand Burnt Ends Get A Hard Pass From Us

For all the love that Costco receives from its members, the chain is certainly no stranger to criticism. Consider the range of Kirkland Signature products that failed to capture the hearts of shoppers. According to opinions expressed on Reddit, there's a new product that can be added to that list. A Costco member described the Kirkland Signature burnt ends as "a big disappointment," but this critique is positively mild when compared to what other shoppers had to say about the product.

If you're wondering what goes into making burnt ends, you should know that this preparation uses beef brisket and requires careful butchering and barbecuing. It's no secret that this cut of the cow can be tough, but in the right hands, you will end up with an unbelievably tasty end result. Unfortunately, that was not the experience of Costco shoppers who sampled the chain's burnt ends. This product was said to have a "horrendous taste," was likened to "gourmet dog treats," and was decreed by one shopper as "the worst Kirkland product."

Read more: All The Benefits Of A Costco Membership

Costco Makes A Serious Beef Blunder With Its Burnt Ends

Among the many colorful insults hurled at Costco's pre-packaged burnt ends, one criticism highlights what may be the fatal flaw in the product. According to the original poster of the Reddit thread, bona fide burnt ends feature the "point" of the brisket rather than the "flat" that's used in the Kirkland product. For those new to the many intricacies of burnt ends, points and flats refer to the two different muscles found in brisket. Points are the fattier section, while flats are leaner and meaner.

And here's where it might fall apart for Costco's much-derided burnt ends. As explained by a commenter on Reddit, "Cutting up a bunch of beef chunks from the flat (wrong part of the brisket), adding BBQ sauce, and calling that burnt ends is a pale imitation of what real burnt ends are." The use of the flats probably explains all the complaints about the tough texture of these burnt ends. As for the "slimy fat" mentioned by another Redditor, that problem could arise from a butchering oversight, as leaving the layer of fat found between the point and the flat can also be an issue.

Don't Be Fooled By Other Brands Of Burnt Ends, Either

Costco carries another brand of burnt ends courtesy of Mission Hill Bistro, which has been received better than the Kirkland Signature brand when it comes to flavor and quality. However, shoppers on Reddit are not satisfied with the price of this product. Per the original poster, Mission Bistro burnt ends will run you $12.79 per pound. However, barbecue sauce makes up much of that weight. Adding insult to injury, one commenter described the sauce as "mediocre" and accused Costco of "deliberate deception" due to the packaging.

As explained by the shopper, "it's not possible to see the contents before purchase," which means there's no way to tell that what you're buying has an insufficient meat-to-sauce ratio. In the event that you've been victimized by either brand of Costco burnt ends, rest assured that the wholesale chain does accept returns on products that customers are not happy with. However, avoid abusing the return policy, as that's one thing that can cause your Costco membership to be discontinued.

Read the original article on Daily Meal