Burned-end eggrolls: A Canadian essential England hasn’t met (yet)

Imagine my dismay—my slow-burn heartbreak—as I scoured England for the perfect, fried crisp of a burned-end eggroll and found, time and again, nothing but silence. The eggrolls I had known back in Canada, delicate bombs of crispy perfection, were nowhere to be found on this side of the Atlantic. You’d think that in a land famed for fish-and-chips’ crunchy, deep-fried exterior, there’d be something on offer like a decent eggroll. I’ve learned the hard way: not so.

Back in Canada, burned-end eggrolls aren’t just on the menu; they’re essential. In every Canadian Chinese restaurant, you’ll find these crackling beauties. They are wrapped a little too tight, fried a little too dark, the edges singed to that perfect crispy crunch where the flavors all pull together. A bit of soy sauce, plum sauce or just take them plain—the right ones don’t need any extra flourish. My absolute pilgrimage-worthy favourite? Golden Palace on Carling in Ottawa, the veritable shrine to all things eggroll. Step in there, order a few dozen to go, and your heart’s already on a one-way trip to fried bliss.

But living in England, well, no one even knew what I was talking about. Here I was, obsessed, explaining to friends what they were missing, craving that crunch, and willing to sell my soul for it. So, the mission began: researching, testing, and making so many eggrolls my pub kitchen became a deep fryer in disguise. There were epic failures, rolls so misshapen they looked like sad dumplings, or crisped so far beyond recognition even I couldn’t eat them. But little by little, I got closer, finding ways to fold the dough tighter, to fry it at just the right temp. I had to go to war with these eggrolls, but I was determined to win.

Then, on my last trip back to Canada, I made a beeline for the Golden Palace. I sat down and ordered three dozen to go, packed with care and frozen so they’d survive the transatlantic flight. I had no illusions about eating them fresh out of the bag—this was an undertaking. I was going to reverse engineer these things to finally bring a taste of burned-end heaven back to my own kitchen.

I can’t say I’ve cracked the code entirely, but I’ve gotten close. There’s a whisper of that perfect crunch, a memory of the burned edge in every bite, and a bit of Canada smuggled into each one. England might not know what they’re missing, but in my kitchen, those egg rolls—and all the hours spent replicating them—mean Canada isn’t as far away as it sometimes feels.

Burned-end eggrolls… Canadian-style

Burned-End Eggrolls, Canadian-style, are a crispy, savory twist on classic eggrolls, packed with smoky, tender burnt ends (slow-cooked beef), tangy barbecue flavors, and melty cheese. These hearty, flavor-packed rolls bring together Southern BBQ tradition with a Canadian flair, making them the perfect appetizer or snack for game days, parties, or comfort-food cravings. Crispy on the outside and juicy inside, these eggrolls are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Canadian, Chinese

Keyword: BBQ burnt ends eggrolls, Burned-end eggrolls, Burnt ends eggroll recipe, Canadian style eggrolls, Crispy BBQ eggrolls, How to make Canadian-style burned-end eggrolls

Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Deep Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 head of savoy cabbage shredded
• 1 large carrot shredded
• Table salt
• 500 g minced pork or chicken
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 3 tbsp soy sauce or to taste
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pkg Egg roll wrappers or wonton wrappers for smaller rolls
• Canola or other deep frying oil in a deep fryer

Instructions

• Layer the shredded cabbage and carrot with a sprinkling of salt (be liberal with the salt) in a medium bowl and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Once the cabbage has sat in salt for at least 30 minutes, take handfuls and squeeze as much moisture as you can out with your hands.
• Put the squeezed cabbage and carrot in a separate large bowl. Add uncooked minced pork or chicken, one egg, soy sauce, white pepper and sesame oil
• Mix everything together by hand until fully mixed
• Crack the second egg into a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water and whisk until smooth
• Take one eggroll or wonton wrapper and moisten edges with egg wash
• Put enough of the pork mixture on the wrapper, so that you can roll in in a tube form and overlap the long edge by 1/8 inch, leaving the tube open ended and a bit of the meat mixture sticking out.
• Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C.
• Deep fry the rolls in batches until brown and crispy and then ends look black and burned.
• Once cooked, lay the rolls on a tray lined with paper towel to drip off excess oil.
• Serve with plum sauce or your favourite sweet Asian dip.