The State of Barbecue

Missouri, Kansas City to be specific is the epicenter of American barbecue. Most barbeque in Kansas City is smoked in hickory fired metal vault ovens. These vaulted ovens are generally made of sheet metal and the fire boxes are offset from the open part of the oven. Meat is cooked by maintaining a slow steady heat within the box, smoke from the wood fire is controlled by drafting the oven by the use of vents allowing air to both enter the fire box and exit the oven. Air is also passed through the doors of the oven which are opened to tend and move the cooking cuts of meat. Pit bosses move meat from near the fire at the beginning of the cooking process to sear and seal the meats to the far regions of the box where the meat is maintained at a low temperature and the smoke is allowed to permeate the flesh. Pit bosses must also make sure the cooking meat is turned and rotated so the flesh is evenly exposed to both heat and smoke. The final duty of the pit boss is to select the meats ready for service and move them close to the oven doors where they will be kept warm and within reach of the service staff.

Other forms of barbecue served nationwide are open pit, closed pit, spit fired, brick oven, barrel, open grill, closed grill and earthen oven.

Kansas City was one of the largest meat processing city's in America. From 1871 to 1950 it was only surpassed by Chicago's Union Stock yards. Most of the labor at the yards was provided by African Americans and immigrant labor from nearby Kansas City Kansas. Kansas City style barbecue grew out of local laborers purchasing and taking home cheap cuts from the processing floor for weekend cookouts, church functions and neighborhood celebrations. As the locals refined their cooking skills more and more of the barbecue found its way into the marketplace. Barbecue joints sprang up all over the east side of Kansas City during the jazz era into the 40's and 50's.

Some of the old names are still around and in business to this day. Gates and Son's is one of the last big black owned joints. Ollie Gates had a knack for business and survived the reach of white entrepreneurs. He now has several successful restaurants in the city and the suburbs, operates a school of barbecue (Rib Tech), is active in city affairs and is a community leader.

During my college years 1969 - 1974 I spent a lot of time investigating the local barbecue scene. I was looking for unusual product and the perfect sauce. There was a joint at 21st St. and Indiana Ave. (next to the old Celebrity Lounge) that served melt in your mouth Lamb Shanks. Gates and Son's had Lamb Breast, Smoked Sausage and Cornish Game Hen that were all excellent and out of the ordinary. Boyd's Rib Tip House on Prospect had crunchy Rib Tips, good Lamb Shanks and excellent burnt ends. Harris Barbecue across from the old Municipal Stadium was possibly the best small barbecue venue. Mr. Harris did make the best sauce. The Paradise off Prospect specialized in pork ribs and pork butt that was sliced rather than pulled.

The K.C.KS style offered at the Rosedale, Wyandot and Quick's was different and fun. I never liked Fiorella's or Snead's Country BBQ. Hayward's is a acceptable suburban choice with a decent sauce.

True Kansas City style sauce is never sweet. Gates has a strong black pepper tang, Bryant's is gritty with paprika and has the heat of cayenne pepper. I like both of these sauces but Mr. Harris had the best blend. His sauce was tomato rich, had a vinegar tang and a pepper bite but was smooth and surprisingly delicate. Too bad, Mr. Harris died in the mid Seventies and took his sauce with him.

There are new names popping up on the east side as the community tries to revitalize the neighborhood. Some young guy should get out there, discover and promote the new barbecue stars of the future. It would be nice to see suburban faces coming into the city to support our neighborhood businesses surrounding the new Sprint Center. When you go into a BBQ joint you want to see black faces in the kitchen and in the dining room enjoying the food. The same goes for Hispanic and Chinese restaurants: stay away from places with pimple faced suburban white kids slinging food, corporate ownership and a bland crowd of suburban diners. Embrace tradition, ethnicity, community and diversity.