While the South is often cited as the birthplace of American barbecue, Kansas City has earned a reputation as the barbecue capital of the world. Home to the famed Kansas City Barbeque Society and more than 100 dedicated barbecue restaurants, the city boasts one of the highest concentrations of barbecue joints per capita in the world.
So what makes Kansas City barbecue stand out? It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing. From the city’s roots in the meatpacking industry to generations of pitmasters who have embraced the spirit of innovation, Kansas City has developed a unique barbecue style that everyone should experience. Joe Pearce, co-founder of Kansas City’s award-winning Slap’s BBQ, sums it up perfectly: “It’s just an awesome genre of food that brings people together. Kansas City is a melting pot. We’ve taken the best of every region, put them together, and in my opinion, made them better. I always say we’re changing people’s lives one bite at a time.”
I was lucky enough to sample some recently when my parents returned from a cross-country road trip with a brisket, dry rub and bottled sauce as a thank-you for watering their plants while they were away. As far as gifts go, I can’t imagine a better one! It made me want to learn more about this iconic style—and maybe book a trip so I could experience it fresh from the smoker.
What is Kansas City barbecue?
Kansas City barbecue is famous for rich, smoky meats and sweet-and-tangy sauces, and it shares some similarities with Memphis-style barbecue. “Kansas City barbecue is a kissing cousin to Memphis-style, but generally has a thicker barbecue sauce with a more savory component,” says seven-time world barbecue champion and cookbook author Melissa Cookston. That’s because the foundation for the region’s signature style was laid by Henry Perry, a Tennessee native who was among the first to bring Memphis-style barbecue to the city in the early 1900s…