15 Delicious Foods That Taste So Much Better a Little Bit Burnt

People go out of their way to ensure they don’t burn dinner. However, several foods they confess taste much better, a bit burnt. I’ve never enjoyed burnt flavor on any meat. Fortunately, my father and sister were good with charred pieces.

I realize that’s the staple to “good BBQ,” but I cannot handle the charcoal taste. Nonetheless, after someone asked for examples of foods that taste better toasted, these are the top-voted cuisines.

1. Brisket Ends

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Okay, I’m not surprised by the top answer. Are you? The south is known for the best BBQ if you’re from America. A BBQ enthusiast explained, “If you don’t live in the south, you’ll search aimlessly for that burnt-end fix only to be disappointed time and time again.”

2. Marshmallows

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Marshmallows are the number two most-voted food that tastes a little better burnt. One admitted, “I like carbonizing the whole outside of the marshmallow, and then you can pull off the crispy skin/shell and leave “fresh” mallow on the inside to roast again.” Many others agreed that they roast, eat the skin, and repeat.

3. Brussel Sprouts

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Several foodies said they prefer Brussel Sprouts a little toasted. “Not burnt all the way, but with the outer layer charred and just a little crunch in the middle? Perfect.”

4. Hot Dogs

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Hot dogs are a typical food with a tad bit of char. One user praised the Lord before confessing, “Love the hotdogs ‘with the skins charred on the grill and have just that little “snap” when you bite into them. YUM!”

5. Crème Brûlée

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Crème brûlée was nominated as better burnt, causing many to laugh (myself included). Someone volunteered its rice custard with sugar that is burnt. “The fact that it has ‘burnt’ in the name shouldn’t disqualify it – it anything, it makes it one of the most obviously authentic examples.”

6. Corn on the Cob

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Many hungry foodies agreed that a little char on a grilled cob of corn makes it taste better. Now, I can agree with that, and if you load it up with butter and salt, I am done. So good. So tasty.

7. Cheese

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While several people in the thread agreed that cheese tastes better when it is a little bit burnt, one clarified, “That burnt cheese on the side of an oven-baked dish.”

8. Pretzels

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Someone volunteered that years ago; pretzels often came with a slight burn mark or char here or there. “It was delicious. Now they don’t. Sad.” People noted that Utz makes a special dark sourdough pretzel cooked longer, and Unique Splits also makes good extra dark pretzels.

9. Lasagna

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Do you enjoy the corner pieces of lasagna with that charred crunchy edge? You’ve got company. People agreed it’s the best, but also that the leftovers reheat beautifully.

10. Bacon

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Bacon was nominated as being better, a little burnt. One shared, “Ah yeah. My mom used to burn bacon (on purpose). Not all the way black, but super dark and super brittle. Like it can almost crumble to a powder, it’s the best.” However, many argued for the texture and taste of bacon between flaccid and burnt, noting it requires a slower cook time.

11. Grilled Cheese

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Here we go with cheese again, and I couldn’t agree more. A little char on a grilled cheese sandwich is delicious. Add a bowl of tomato soup for dipping, and it’s a primo lunch for a cold day.

12. Pepperoni

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Many burnt foodies confessed to enjoying their pepperoni more when it’s a little charred and crispy. One clarified, “Mmmm, yes, crunchy little burnt pepperoni on a pizza is amazing.”

13. Popcorn

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Did anyone else instantly smell this nastiness? YUCK! Somehow there are people out there burning their popcorn on purpose and loving it. One clarified an extra ten seconds in the microwave is divine. At the same time, another described the perfect popcorn as “Just burnt enough that it is kind of brown.”

14. Fried Rice

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Mmmm, yes to this fried rice suggestion. There is something extra delicious about that crispiness of good fried rice. Someone suggested that people who enjoy that texture and taste would love the Korean dish, dolsot bibimbap.

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15. Sausages

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Finally, people agreed they liked their sausages, “crispy on the outside, no gummy nonsense.” One explained, “My dad always burnt sausages when he made us breakfast growing up, so now I can only eat my links burnt, or else it just tastes nasty.”

This thread inspired this post.

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Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and spirituality.