Kansas City barbecue is a regional style unto itself, encompassing a wide variety of meats that are spice rubbed, slow-cooked on different types of hardwoods, and then topped off with a tomato-based sauce. Choices run the gamut: short- and long-end pork ribs, brisket, (the very popular) beef burnt ends, rib tips, chicken, lamb ribs, ham, pork shoulder, and even mutton.
This Missourian city's barbecue legacy is linked back to a man named Henry Perry. In the early 1920s, Perry began barbecuing in an outdoor pit next to his streetcar barn and would serve what he prepared wrapped up in newspaper.
Adding more flavor to this scene were pitmasters migrating to Missouri from other Southern states. For some, their barbecue ventures would go from weekend outdoor offerings to heading indoors by opening restaurants.
Speaking of barbecue restaurants, Kansas City has more than 100 of them, which can fall under one of two categories: old school (carrying on traditional methods) and new school (featuring creative sides and meat combos).
Where to eat: Old school picks encompass Gates Bar-B-Q, Plowboys Barbeque, LC's Bar-BQ, and Jack Stack BBQ. Try new school ones such as Q39 and Char Bar, plus Joe's Kansas City BBQ, with the line going out of the door at its original location.
